


Star Crossed

by tufano79



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-04
Updated: 2015-11-26
Packaged: 2018-02-07 09:45:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 208,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1894437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tufano79/pseuds/tufano79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She was the leader of her people. </p><p>He was a gruff, by-the-book star ship captain. </p><p>An interstellar war, negotiations for a peace treaty gone wrong and a taboo relationship between two species. </p><p>Captain Edward Cullen was in charge of the starship, Volvo. He, along with his crew, were given a mission to deliver Empress Nirabelle of the Cygnarian people to the nearby planet of Lapus, to negotiate a treaty between their two worlds. For over a millennia, they have been fighting a vicious battle. For what? They don’t even know. It’s ingrained in their minds and their history. </p><p>The Empress is to meet with the Crown Prince of Lapus, Jakob. The Volvo is transporting her and her envoy, Maralice to the planet. </p><p>However, something goes terribly wrong on Lapus. One communication to the Volvo and a brief face-to-face conversation forever changes the future of the Empress and Captain Cullen. </p><p>Will they survive this threat or are the Star Crossed lovers doomed before they even have a chance?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://s920.photobucket.com/user/jthlavacs/media/SC-Tufano_zps65f4507b.jpg.html)  
>   
>  Banner by Chandrakanta
> 
>  
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> [](http://s920.photobucket.com/user/jthlavacs/media/StarCrossedCover_zpsde76b32d.jpg.html)  
> Banner by MIna Rivera! Thank you!

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine. **

**_Summary:_ ** She was the leader of her people. 

He was a gruff, by-the-book star ship captain. 

An interstellar war, negotiations for a peace treaty gone wrong and a taboo relationship between two species. 

Captain Edward Cullen was in charge of the starship,  _Volvo_. He, along with his crew, were given a mission to deliver Empress Nirabelle of the Cygnarian people to the nearby planet of Lapus, to negotiate a treaty between their two worlds. For over a millennia, they have been fighting a vicious battle. For what? They don’t even know. It’s ingrained in their minds and their history. 

The Empress is to meet with the Crown Prince of Lapus, Jakob. The  _Volvo_  is transporting her and her envoy, Maralice to the planet. There are strict rules in place for the Empress’s transport. She is to not have any contact with any males on the ship, per the cultural norms of Cygnarian society. The trip should take as little time as possible and if no headway has been made within one day of being in orbit, Captain Cullen is to transport the Empress from the planet’s surface. 

However, something goes terribly wrong on Lapus. One communication to the  _Volvo_ and a brief face-to-face conversation forever changes the future of the Empress and Captain Cullen. 

Will they survive this threat or are the  _Star Crossed_  lovers doomed before they even have a chance?                                

**_Star Crossed_ **

**Chapter One**

**EPOV**

“Captain, you have a hail from Admiral Cullen,” said the communications officer, Lt. Riley. “He says it’s urgent and delicate, sir.”

“Send it to my ready room,” I responded curtly. “I’ll speak with him there.”

“Understood,” Lt. Riley nodded.

I got up from my chair on the bridge of my ship, the starship, _Volvo_. I nodded to my first officer, Commander Jasper Whitlock. He barely acknowledged me, but then again, he never did. I knew he was bitter about being passed over for the command of his own ship and under my leadership. Striding across the bridge, I used my thumb to open the door of my ready room, the office just off the bridge. Walking a little slower, I sat down at my desk and turned on the terminal. The waiting communiqué was blinking on the screen. Pressing the screen, I saw the face of my father appear. “Admiral?”

“I just received your report on the last mission we sent you on,” my father said, looking at the tablet in front of him. “You’re building yourself quite a reputation as a negotiator and a diplomat, Edward.”

“I’m only following the guidelines and rules from my Galaxy Fleet training,” I said, blushing slightly. “It was tough, but the reward was worth it. Seeing the smiles of the refugees from the war as they exited their prison cells, it made me so proud to say that I had a hand in that.”

“You should be proud, Edward. I know I am,” Carlisle, my father, the admiral, said while he gave me a beaming grin. “Anyhow, we have another mission for you.”

“Sir, I mean no disrespect, but my crew is desperate need for some rest and relaxation. The negotiations with the Mesans and Phoenicians was taxing on them and my ship. I was heading to one of the space stations to get the _Volvo_ overhauled,” I said.

“You can still go to the space station, located off the outskirts of Cygnari space. They are quite good at what they do and you’ll be able to spend some time as you prepare for your mission,” Carlisle explained. My tablet beeped and I saw a classified file appear. “Your reputation is going to be your biggest asset, Edward.”

“Did you say Cygnari space?” I asked, looking at our orders. “They have been at war with the Alphans for millennia. They aren’t also a part of the Federation.”

“But they want to be. They’ve been denied because of their ongoing war with the Alphans. Their leader, Emperor Charel, wanted to see it happen before his death. Unfortunately, the war snuffed that idea quickly. He was killed about six months ago in a border skirmish.”

“How do you know all this? The Cygnarians are a very private species,” I said, skimming the information.

“Charel reached out to the Federation. He wanted to end this interstellar war. He wanted a better future for his children, Nirabelle and Charanel. He died before his wish came true. His daughter, Nirabelle, is now the Empress of her people. She wants to see her father’s dying wish come true. Working with our team here on Earth, we’ve devised a plan for her. But there are some very specific rules, per the Cygnarian Council of Elders,” Carlisle said.

“What are these rules?” I asked.

“Empress Nirabelle cannot have any contact with any male member of your crew,” Carlisle stated firmly.

“Uh, Dad, I hate to burst your bubble, but eighty percent of my crew is male,” I grumbled.

“I know. However, Rosalie will act as her liaison,” he said. Rosalie was our chief medical officer and my ex-wife. We got married impetuously on the pleasure planet, Monté, on shore leave. We didn’t love each other. It was all lust. Rosalie was gorgeous with golden blonde hair, golden skin and golden eyes. We fought merely just to make up, because the sex was phenomenal, but that does not make a strong relationship. After a year, we ended our union and we’re the best of friends. She was also a valued member of my crew, being an excellent doctor and counselor. Rosalie was half human and half Solarian, an empathic species. If it weren’t for her, the negotiations for all of the missions we went on would fall to pieces. She also could control the room with her empathic ability.

“Okay, so Rosalie will work with her. That’s good, but it’s going to be difficult to keep her separated from all the men on my ship,” I said. “Is she going to stay in her quarters for the entire journey?”

“Yes, for the most part. She will have an envoy, Maralice, to act as a go-between. Maralice is a widowed Cygnarian woman who can speak with men and will relay any concerns to you or to Commander Whitlock,” my father explained.

“What about the rest of the rules?”

“It’s all in the file. Now, it will take about a week and half at maximum jump speed to get to Cygnari space. You have to be in orbit of Forx, the home planet of the Cynarians, in two weeks. It will take another week to get to Lapus, the Alphan home world. I’ll let you read the report. Contact me if you have any questions,” he said.

“I will,” I said, pushing the tablet aside. Smiling crookedly, I looked at my father. “How’s Mom?”

“Hating retirement,” he snorted. “She wanted to keep exploring space but I missed my wife.”

“You could have joined her, Admiral,” I snickered. “Or she could have accepted her promotion.”

“You know as well as me that your mother would not want to work at Federation Headquarters. She’s always wanting to learn more. You’re so much like her,” Carlisle said, giving me a wry grin. “She wouldn’t be so antsy if you would give us a grandchild.”

“Dad…” I grumbled. “Kind of single. Can’t have babies on my own.”

“Well, you could,” he laughed.

“I’m not liking where this conversation is going. Bug my sister,” I said, arching a brow. “She lives on Earth and is in a relationship.”

“Trust me, Esme is constantly ragging on Elizabeth,” my dad deadpanned. “I think Elizabeth will be contacting you about stowing away on our ship to get away from the nagging.”

“I’ll gladly take her because I know what a pain in the ass Mom is when she gets her mind set on something,” I chuckled. “Anything else pertaining to the mission?”

“No. You have it all,” he said. “Call your mother, just to give her something to look forward to and after this mission, your crew will get some much needed time off. And that is coming from the admiral and your father.”

“We’ll gladly take it, sir,” I snickered.

“Love you, son.”

“You, too, Dad.”

“Admiral Cullen, out.” The screen blinked black before the insignia for the Federation popped up.

I sat back on my chair, running my hands through my unruly bronze hair. I stared at the ceiling for a moment before getting up to the replicator to get something to drink. “Computer, coffee, black,” I barked to the console. The machine whirred and appearing out of thin air was a steaming cup of coffee. I picked it up, inhaling it briefly before walking back to my desk. I quickly contacted the helm officer, informing him of our new destination. The engines sprang to life and we were on our way to Space Station Seven, on the outskirts of Federation space, near Cygnarian territory.

I spent the next two hours poring over the orders my father gave me. I had to prepare a briefing for my senior staff so they knew what we were heading into. However, this kind of mission is what I lived for. I was a Galaxy Fleet brat. I was born on starship, lived on a starship for most of my life and will probably die on a starship. Plus, I was the golden child of Galaxy Fleet, graduating with top honors at the age of seventeen. Two years ago, I was awarded my own command and was the youngest captain in Galaxy Fleet history at the age of twenty-eight. I was now thirty and I loved the challenges I faced on a daily basis of being a Galaxy Fleet captain.

Well, except for my pain in the ass First Officer.

Commander Jasper Whitlock was amazing at his job, the best in the fleet. However, he was up for his own command at the same time I was. Galaxy Fleet felt that he wasn’t emotionally prepared to be a captain and he was denied the promotion, assigned to be my first officer. Jasper was a decorated Wing Commander for the Galaxy War Fleet. He was injured gravely and lost both of his legs in the final battle he led. In addition to that, he was scarred both physically and emotionally. He spent a year and a half at Galaxy Fleet Medical Headquarters on the Solari home world. He had to learn how to use his biomechanical limbs and cope with his survivor’s guilt. He was granted a field commission of lieutenant commander upon his return to Galaxy Fleet. He quickly became commander and first officer for a small research vessel, _Chicago_.

He put in for a transfer to the _Volvo_ when he heard that the captain was nearing the end of her career. I was the first officer and when the captain resigned from the fleet, I was offered the post and Jasper was given the opportunity to be my first officer. He took it, begrudgingly. The rest, as they say, is history.

Commander Whitlock was a seasoned officer and I trusted him with making tough decisions. But, he was too eager to start a fight, to use our phasers or torpedoes to settle issues. I was always willing to negotiate or solve it diplomatically. Jasper was a hot-head who just like to shoot off his weapons. A lot of that comes from his history in the War Fleet. They didn’t use diplomacy. They used fire power. It was a different frame of mind and he was still learning it.

Shaking my head, I sent a communiqué to my senior staff for a briefing of our upcoming mission at 0800 the following morning.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Smoothing my black uniform with grey jacket and blue shirt underneath, I picked up my tablet from the desk in my quarters. Swiping my communicator from the edge of my nightstand and affixed to my jacket. As I was adjusting it, it chirped. “Halé to Cullen.”

“Cullen here,” I responded to my ex.

“Edward, I can’t make it to the briefing at 0800. There was a coolant leak in engineering and sick bay is swarming with injured,” Rose said.

“When can you make it?” I asked. “You are crucial to this mission. You have to be at the briefing.”

“I don’t know. Two hours? I have to triage the patients,” she said. “Once I get through with that, I should be able to make it. I’m exhausted, though. Zero sleep over the past thirty-six hours. We need another doctor or one of those holographic doctors that Galaxy Fleet Medical is constantly trying to install.”

“I thought you were against the holodoctors,” I snickered.

“You try staying up for nearly two days and see how you feel,” she said. “1000 in the conference room?”

“Yeah. I’ll let everyone know. It’ll give me an opportunity to finalize their jobs. Have Lt. Morgainne contact me about the status of the coolant leak,” I said, naming our chief engineer.

“Got it. Halé out.”

I walked to the bridge after I informed the senior staff of the change. I received reports from helm, security and science stations for my perusal. I thanked them politely, nodding as they were dismissed and first shift came on duty. I went in my ready room, rereading the report and orders from my father. I also read over the overnight reports. Nothing was out of the ordinary. The only thing that caught my attention was a minor course correction that was made to avoid an asteroid, but the ship was traveling smoothly, even with the coolant leak.

Around 1000, I beckoned to Jasper. We left the helmsman in charge of the bridge while we had our briefing in the conference room. My senior staff was all assembled around the table. I took my seat at the head of the table and sent the information from my tablet to the screen. “Thank you all for being flexible with the meeting time, everyone. Dr. Halé was indisposed due to an accident in engineering. Is everything okay?”

“Yes, sir,” she replied. “We had two ensigns with extreme frost bite and one crewman with a broken leg, but everyone is resting comfortably.”

“Lt. Morgainne, what happened?” I asked my chief engineer. He was a full blooded Solari man that was nearly six and half feet tall and was one huge muscle. His hair was a shiny black, but his skin was tanned with a pearlescent sheen and his eyes were golden. He was also involved with Rose.

“One of the pipes was weak and it gave way. Thankfully, it was a smaller leak or it would have been a lot worse. We’ve corrected the problem but we need to get into space dock soon for a complete overhaul, sir,” he said, frowning deeply.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be able to. Not until after our next mission. We are stopping at Space Station Seven, but it’s mainly to pick up supplies and fix any major issues,” I explained.

“Why are we flying to the far reaches of the Federation?” Jasper asked. “Space Station Seven is just outside of Cygnarian space. They’ve been involved in an interstellar war forever!”

“That’s why. Six months ago, the leader of the Cygnarian people, Charel, contacted Galaxy Fleet. They had petitioned to join the Federation but were rejected numerous times due to the war between the Cygnarians and the Alphans, the residents of Lapus. Emperor Charel was trying to negotiate a peace when he was killed by an Alphan attack. His daughter, Empress Nirabelle, is trying to make his dream a reality. We are transporting the empress and her envoy to Lapus to discuss and possibly negotiate a treaty between the two worlds,” I explained.

“Why couldn’t the empress take one of her own ships to Lapus?” asked my head of security, a Klaxon woman named Victoria. She was short, but wiry with wild, curly red hair. Her eyes were a unique shade of indigo and she had ridges along the bridge of her nose and on the muscles that connected her neck to her shoulders. Behind her, Victoria’s tail vibrated with anxiety and anger.

“All of the Cygnarian ships are protecting the border,” I answered, showing them the Cygnarian fleet on a star chart. “One ship leaves the line and the Alphans attack.”

“It seems like the Alphans are monsters,” spat Rose. “You’ve only ever mentioned Alphan attacks, no Cygnarian.”

“The Alphans are a very aggressive species. They’ve attacked planets along the borders of Federation space, looking for supplies and ships,” I sighed. “The Cygnarians are peaceful and don’t want to fight. At least, that’s what Charel told Admiral Cullen six months ago. Empress Nirabelle has reiterated the same beliefs as well. So, we’ve been asked to provide her a transport and act as intermediaries if negotiations fall apart. There are some strict rules in place, though.”

I pressed a button the rules for transporting the empress were on the screen. “The first one is probably going to be the most challenging. She cannot have any contact with male members of the crew.”

“Uh, Captain, you do realize that out of a crew of nearly six hundred people, four hundred fifty are men,” Lt. Morgainne said, arching a brow.

“I know,” I sighed, scrubbing my face. “This is where Rose and Victoria are going to be very valuable. Rose, you are assigned to the Empress as her liaison.”

I pressed another button and a picture of Empress Nirabelle appeared on the screen. I’d never seen a more beautiful woman, honestly. She had long flowing, mahogany hair with a few strands that shone, almost iridescent. Her skin was pale but she had these light brown, almost like, leopard spots going down the sides of her face and disappearing into her gown. Her hair was clipped back, held off her face by silver crown. Her ears were lightly pointed and very dainty. Her true beauty and her ultimate sadness were held in her face, specifically her eyes. The empress had pretty, pouty lips that were full but pulled into a frown. Her face was heart-shaped but her eyes, which were electric blue, held all of the pain of her people. I wanted to pull her into my arms and hug the shit out of her, but strict rules prohibited men from interacting with her.

“Captain, do you know why she is not allowed to speak with men?” Commander Whitlock questioned.

“It’s not clearly stated in the report. The explanation is vague at best, saying it was culturally unacceptable,” I responded. “In addition to that rule, we have a week to get to Lapus, but we are to remain in orbit for a day and pull out the empress and her envoy if there is any trouble.”

“Will we be sending a security team?” Victoria asked. She took her job very seriously and the fact that she could kill any one of us with one swipe of her talons or a be strangled by her muscular tail, we listened to her intently.

“No,” I said, trying to hide my distaste. “We’re sending the empress and her envoy down with a communicator and that’s it. They didn’t want to cause the Alphans any reason to doubt their sincerity.”

“I don’t like it, Captain,” Victoria growled, her red hair beginning to glow in anger. Her violet eyes also began glowing.

“Calm down, Commander,” I said curtly. “I don’t like it either, but it was what the Cygnarian Council of Elders wants.”

“Can’t we give her a phaser or bomb or something?” Victoria almost whined.

“No, Victoria,” I answered. “Now, we’re en route to Cygnarian space. We have a brief stop at Space Station Seven for some repairs and then to the Cygnarian home world, Forx.”

“Sir, with all due respect, why were we chosen for this mission?” Jasper asked snidely. “I know that the _Enterprise_ is closer to the Federation border.”

“Our recent work with the Mesans and Phoenicians have made the _Volvo_ the go-to for diplomatic missions,” I answered. “This is a very delicate situation and the admiral knew that we had the finesse to handle it.” Jasper harrumphed and muttered something under his breath. I growled lowly. “Do you have something to add, Commander?”

“No, sir,” he spat.

“Well, you all have your jobs. We have a week and half until we get to the space station. Make as many repairs as you can so that we have to dock for as little time as possible,” I hissed. “Everyone but Commander Whitlock is dismissed.” They all left except my first officer. I glared at him. “I’ll repeat my last question, Commander Whitlock. I’m pretty certain that you don’t want another letter in your file for insubordination.”

“Permission to speak freely, sir?” he asked, his hazel eyes blazing. I nodded. “It’s bullshit that your ‘daddy’ the admiral gives you these missions. You’re not ready for them.”

“And you are?” I scoffed. “You’d want to blow up the Alphan home world. You fire phasers, ask questions later. And who are you to question my authority? I became a captain on my own merits, not riding on the coat tails of my father, the admiral.”

“You keep telling yourself that, sir,” Jasper snarled.

“You’re treading a fine line, Commander. I gave you permission to speak freely, but I’m still your commanding officer,” I said, standing up. “Your boss.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I just don’t agree with the admiral’s orders,” Jasper said, crossing his arms.

“It doesn’t matter if you agree or don’t agree, only that you follow them,” I said, walking to the door. “You’re assigned to engineering today. They need some extra help due to the coolant leak.”

“I can’t move around in the Jeffries tubes, sir. You know that,” Jasper growled.

“You have your orders, Commander,” I said coldly. “You don’t show up and you’ll be relieved of duty for the remainder of this mission.” I turned on my heel and left him in the conference room. I hated to be a hard ass, but Jasper constantly questioning my authority was getting on my last nerve. He had to learn that I was the captain and that he was not.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Nearly two weeks later, we were in orbit of Forx. It was a smaller planet that was mostly green and blue. It reminded me of a smaller version of Earth. Rose was waiting for the Empress in the transporter room along with Victoria. It felt weird not being there to meet a traveling dignitary.

“Sir, the Cygnarian Council of Elders is hailing us,” Lt. Riley said.

“On screen, lieutenant,” I replied, standing up. Three men were seated at a long table. The man in the middle had long black hair and a shrewd gleam in his neon green eyes. The man on his right had brown hair that was braided down his back and he looked bored, his blue eyes filled with zero emotion. The man on the left had short cropped white hair with glowing pink eyes. “Greetings from the _Volvo_. I’m Captain Edward Cullen. This is my first officer, Commander Jasper Whitlock.”

“Thank you for making such good time,” said the man in the middle. His voice was deep and resonant. “I am Aro. These are my brothers and fellow members of the Council of Elders, Marcusi and Caius. We are grateful for your assistance with this matter between the Alphans and the Cygnari. So many years have gone by. So many deaths. The time of war needs to come to an end, Captain.”

“I can imagine, Counselor Aro,” I frowned. “We will do our best to ensure the safety of the Empress and her Envoy. I have a team assigned to work with them once they come aboard.”

“No males?” Caius asked, his eyes flashing.

“No, Counselor Caius. My chief medical officer, Dr. Rosalie Halé, is acting as the liaison along with my chief security officer, Victoria Braxas,” I explained.

“Why can’t she interact with men?” Jasper asked, arching a brow. I shot him a stern look. He had the same report that I did he knew that it was socially unacceptable to ask such a question. He was undermining my authority in front of this tribunal of elders.

“She simply cannot. We are going against our cultural beliefs in allowing her to go and negotiate,” Caius hissed. “The leader of the Alphans, Crown Prince Jakob, only will work with the leader of our people. We wanted to send an emissary, but told us on numerous occasions that would be an insult to his leadership. He will only deal exclusively with the Empress. If need be, he wants to create an alliance with the Cygnarians through marriage with the Empress.” All of the council members reacted to that, making faces of disdain and disgust.

“We do not want to resort to that,” Marcus said, his voice sound fatigued. “The Empress needs to mate with a Cygnarian male, not an Alphan.”

“What can we do to prevent that, Counselor Marcus?” I asked.

“If after one day, there has been no headway made toward a peace, you need to pull her out,” Marcus said.

There was chime in the council room. Aro looked up at me. “The Empress is aboard your vessel, Captain. You have one week to get to Lapus and to negotiate a peace between our worlds. May the Gods shine upon you as you carry our most precious cargo.”

“Thank you, sir,” I said, nodding slightly. “We will be in contact with you if there is anything that happens.”

All of the men, clasped their hands in front of their faces and bowed solemnly. I did the same before cutting the hail from the surface of Forx.

“Halé to Cullen,” chirped my communicator.

“Cullen here,” I replied.

“The Empress is ensconced in her quarters. She gave me more explicit directions regarding our role in the negotiations,” Rose explained. “However, time is of the essence, sir. Envoy Maralice will speak with you once she has the Empress settled, but there has been a change in the terms from Jakob and Alphans. You need to break orbit and head to Lapus immediately.”

“Understood. Cullen out,” I said, nodding to the helmsman. He plotted a course and we broke orbit, jumping to our maximum speed. “Commander Whitlock, the bridge is yours. When Envoy Maralice needs to speak with me, please send her to my ready room.”

Whitlock nodded, taking the captain’s chair. I went in my ready room, puzzled by the ‘change in terms.’ I was also stressed about the expectations the council had regarding the negotiations. Finally, I felt a stirring in my belly and a warmth washing over my body. The last time I felt something like that was when I shared my first kiss with a Klaxon girl from school when I was fourteen. Her tail had crept up my pants and gave my penis a tug. Why would I feel as giddy as a school boy when I had no reason to be having these feelings? It made no sense.

Pushing that aside, I reread my father’s report and his orders, hoping that we’re successful with our mission and distract my mind. Based on the cryptic message from Rose, it didn’t sound promising. I didn’t want to fail the Federation or the Cygnarians. I had to be successful, but how? I was trying to figure out a diplomatic solution when my door chimed. “Enter,” I replied, standing up and smoothing my uniform.

The door slid open and a petite, elfin looking woman glided inside. She had long raven hair that hung around her head like a cloud. Her eyes were bright blue, almond shaped and wide set. Like all Cygnarians, she had the leopard spots along her temples, going down the sides of her face and neck. Unlike the Empress’s spots, Maralice’s spots were grayer with a blue tinge, glowing slightly towards the center. She wore a long, flowing white tunic with a blue belt around her waist. It matched a single turquoise gem in between her eyes. “Greetings, Captain Cullen,” she said, her voice sounding like tinkling bells. “I am Maralice, Envoy to Empress Nirabelle of Forx, Leader of the Cygnarian people.”

“Welcome aboard, Envoy,” I said, giving her the greeting that I learned in my research, the same gesture that the council gave me.

“Please, call me Alice,” she replied, her face relaxing slightly as she gave the greeting. “I do hope that we can become friends during this dark time.”

“Only if you call me Edward, Alice,” I smiled. “Please, sit.”

“Thank you, Edward,” she said, sitting on the couch in my office.

“Can I get you something to eat or drink?” I asked. She shook her head, folding her hands in her lap. “It’s an honor to have you and the Empress aboard my ship.”

“The Empress wishes to express her gratitude for the use of your ship and her crew. This is far more luxurious than the most expensive ship in our fleet,” Alice said, looking around my office.

“I take it that the Empress is happy with her accommodations?”

“She is, Edward.” Alice blew out a breath and gave me a sheepish grin. “Now, we have withheld information from you about these negotiations. We’ve also withheld the same information from the council as well for fear that they would not allow our departure,” Alice frowned. “We do not mean to deceive you, but this turn of events necessitates peace more so than ever.”

“Will it put my crew or your Empress in danger?” I asked, my temper flaring. _Stay calm, Cullen._

“Possibly,” Alice grimaced. “Please, hear me out, Captain. Crown Prince Jakob, he has been obsessed with the Empress for as long as he has been alive. Emperor Charel was trying to avoid an arranged marriage due to the prince’s nature.”

“His nature?”

“Prince Jakob is a cruel, sadistic monster,” Alice growled, her eyes flashing a deep blue. “He ordered the death of the Emperor when he refused to promise Nirabelle to him in marriage. Since that moment, Jakob has sent threatening hails and communications directly to Nirabelle, vowing that he will take her as his wife and…” She trailed off, her eyes darting to the floor. “She is terribly frightened and does not want to be mated to this _animal._ ”

“I understand, Alice. You don’t need to explain,” I soothed.

“Captain, we need to stop this war. It’s been going on for millennia, for so long that we do not even know what we are fighting over. In order to stop it, we need to stop Jakob. If he takes the Empress as his wife, she will die and so will the Cygnarian people.”

**A/N: There you have it…the first chapter of _Star Crossed._ Now, this will be more like a combination of _Twilight_ and _Star Trek_. We will be flipping back and forth between characters. Up next will be the Empress. **

**Now, pictures will be a challenge since some of the characters are alien and I do not have the means or the talent to create manipulations. I do have some photos of the _Volvo_ and those are on my tumblr and blog. Links for those are on my profile. I will also post them in my Facebook group: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. **

**As always, reviews are welcome…please, leave me some.**

 


	2. Chapter 2

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Two**

**BPOV**

I paced the length of my quarters that I was sharing with Maralice. The low hum of the ships engine reverberated through my body and the stars streaked by, looking like _Rishna_ _flies_ from my home world. I remember capturing the flies, keeping them in a jar and staring at them with my brother, Charanel. They glowed beautifully, lighting up my room. It was such a time of innocence and happiness. A time when my father was still with us and I did not understand the cruelty of war.

The door chimed. I walked to open it. I was greeted by the red-haired woman with the tail. “Greetings, Empress,” she said gruffly. “Dr. Halé wanted me to check on you. She was called away for a medical emergency.”

“I’m fine, Commander Braxas,” I smiled. “The accommodations are quite luxurious. I’ve never seen such a ship with rooms like these.” I gestured for her to enter and she looked around my new home with appraising eyes. “Is everything alright?”

“Sorry, Empress. It’s in my nature to constantly look for a threat. Captain Cullen received explicit instructions that you are not to be harmed,” she said, smiling sheepishly. Commander Braxas was the head of the security team on the _Volvo._ It made sense for her to worry about my safety. Though, at the mention of the captain, my heart stammered against my ribs. I could feel my spots luminesce and my eyes darken. _Why am I reacting to this man’s name like he was my mate?_ It made no sense. I never met Captain Cullen and he was a human. “Empress? Are you okay? You look a little flushed.”

“I’m fine, Commander,” I replied, trying to calm my body down. I needed to get these reactions under control. Alice noticed my spots glowing as we were walking to our quarters.

“Empress…” Commander Braxas began.

“Please, call me Bella,” I smiled. “I’m not an empress on this vessel, just a passenger.”

“Only if you call me Victoria.” I nodded, giving her the standard Cygnarian greeting. Victoria mimicked my actions clumsily. “Bella, if you need anything, you can access the computer at this terminal.” She pressed a few buttons and a screen lit up. “The cultural databases of all of the Federation worlds are on here, including literature, music and art. You can also send communications out to your home world at the same terminal.”

“The journey to Lapus is long. We’ve never been able to communicate with ships along the borders,” I whispered.

“We have a very strong communications array along with many Federation satellites and space stations that can relay your hails,” Victoria explained. She reached into her pocket, handing me two brooches. “These are communicators. The captain wants you to wear these at all times. One is for you and the other is for your envoy. They clip to your clothing. To make them work, just tap it and ask for the person you want to speak with.” Victoria tapped her communicator. It chirped. “Braxas to Cullen.”

“Cullen here,” came a velvety baritone voice.

“I’m contacting you to inform you that the empress has received her communicator,” she said.

“Thank you, Commander,” Cullen said. “Are the Empress and the Envoy linked into our computers?”

“I’m going over that now, sir,” Victoria said. “Anything else, Captain?”

“No, Commander. Excellent work,” he replied, a smile evident in his voice. “Cullen out.” I stared at the tiny brooch on her chest, wanting, yearning to hear more of the captain’s voice. _This is why you are not to interact with males, Nirabelle._

“Empress?” Victoria chuckled. “You’re blushing again.”

“My apologies,” I stammered out. “Such wonderful technologies. And I can understand you perfectly. I know we do not speak the same language.”

“In the communicator, there’s a universal translator,” she said, handing them to me. “It allows us to communicate with different species and cultures without the hassle of having someone learning the languages. The Captain has a great ear for languages as does Dr. Halé, but this little gadget is a lifesaver. Most of us, though, have a universal translator implanted into our brains, too. We may not always have the communicator.” I nodded, clipping the communicator to my gown that I wore. Personally, I hated the finery I had to wear as the Empress. Floaty dresses, tiaras, jewelry and uncomfortable shoes. I was more comfortable in my tunics and leggings, wearing sandals and just wearing clothes for comfort, not decoration.

“Is there anything else, Victoria?” I asked, looking at her.

“One more thing. I know that you have to stay in here during your trip. We have a replicator in each set of quarters,” she said, walking to a medium sized opening in the wall. “You can ask the computer to make anything you want and it will replicate it, here.”

“Even Cygnarian delicacies?” I asked.

“Yes, Empress. We received the specifications from our admiral. Most Cygnarian dishes are included in here. If it’s not, you can input them manually using the computer terminal,” Victoria explained. “Would you like something now?” I nodded, wanting a cup of _tala root_ tea. “Go for it…”

“Um, computer?” I squeaked. It chirped. “One cup of _tala root_ tea, hot with a slice of _miranne_.” The contraption hummed and glowed before a small porcelain cup with a blue decoration appeared. I picked up the tea, inhaling it deeply. Floating on top was a slice of _miranne_ fruit that added a tartness to my drink. Taking a tentative sip, I moaned. “This is delicious!”

“You should try a human delicacy. Chocolate,” Victoria snickered. “It’s the best thing ever.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Victoria,” I laughed. “Thank you for showing me how to work everything in the room. Can I contact you if there is anything I need?”

“Me or Dr. Halé. We will do our best to accommodate your needs, Empress. Now, I need to meet with my security officers. We want to be prepared if anything goes wrong with the negotiations with the Alphan people. Good day, Empress,” she said, nodding her head. Turning on her heel, she strode of the room. I sat down at the glass table near the replicator, sipping my tea.

Maralice, my dearest friend and closest confidante, came back shortly after Victoria left. She sat down across from me and gave me a tight grin. “The captain knows…”

“I bet he hates that we deceived him,” I frowned.

“From what I saw, he does not hate us. He looked angry and his face flushed. He did _not_ want to send us down to Lapus to meet with Jakob. He was able to connect the dots to what I was saying,” Maralice said, taking my hand. “Where did you get the tea?”

“This thing called a replicator,” I said, gesturing behind me. “Would you like a cup?”

“Please,” she breathed. “With a shot of _tika_.”

“Were you that nervous, Maralice?” I asked, ordering her tea.

“I’m nervous for you. We are going down there into the _firatte’s_ den. Jakob and his men will stare at us and it will not be pleasant at all. I wish we could bring down the captain and his first officer, Commander Whitlock,” Maralice said, gripping her teacup. “Then the Alphans will know that this is not a true act of negotiation, but an act of war.”

“We want the war to stop, Maralice. I refuse to mate with Jakob. He would tear me apart,” I said, remembering the one Alphan I met as a child. He was tall, with long wavy hair that was wild around his head. His face was ridged with an exoskeleton that made him look like a devil. His teeth were sharp and he smelled awful. He had been captured on our home world, ravaging a Cygnarian woman. I do not know what happened to her, but my father knew that I could never be mated to an Alphan. The mere thought of being in the same room with them made my stomach turn.

“You will not mate with that _snirap._ I’d sooner you mate with a human than with Jakob,” Maralice growled, her blue eyes blazing. “Now, we have a lot to do. Thankfully, we have a long journey to finalize our plans. Captain Cullen is on board with what we want to do. He does want any harm to come to you or to the Cygnarian people.”

“Maralice, I’m curious. I’m having odd reactions whenever anyone mentions the captain,” I said, my spots glowing lowly.

“I see that. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that we are on board a ship with mostly males?” she shrugged. “I’m feeling out of sorts, too. Ignore it for now. Get some sleep, Bella. We’ll work out our plan more tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if I can sleep, Alice,” I whispered, staring out the window.

“Do you want a sedative?” she questioned, brushing my hair back. “I know that this trip has you riddled with anxiety.”

“I would like that,” I said, putting my empty cup back in the replicator. It whirred to life, making my dirty cup disappear. “We so need this technology on Forx.”

“Charanel would love it. He hates doing the dishes,” Maralice snickered. “Change into your sleepwear. I’ll prepare the sedative.” I nodded and walked to my bedroom. I removed my gauzy, flowing blue gown and replaced it with a simple pair of gray leggings and light blue tunic. As I was praying to my mother and father, Maralice entered my bedroom. I kissed my palm, holding it to my heart and murmuring my love to my deceased parents before climbing into the large bed. “This will allow you to sleep for eight cycles. When you awake, we’ll discuss our plan for while we are on the Lapus,” she said, injecting me with the sedative. “Sleep well, Empress.”

“Thank you,” I said, curling around a pillow and letting my eyes droop.

I am back on Forx, surrounded by my mother and father, smiling and happy. My brother and I are chasing _rishna flies_ , giggling happily in the meadow behind our seaside home. There is one thing that was different in this dream, though. I felt a warmth in my soul that I’d never felt before. I looked around and I saw someone standing behind one of the _pirna_ trees. When I got closer, I could not discern any of their facial features, but I knew they were tall, but dwarfed by the tree. I reached the visitor and they disappeared, like a puff of smoke. The warmth dissipated as well and I felt oddly bereft. With a frown, I go back to my family. My brother is clapping his hands gleefully. I join them, enjoying the time with my family, even if it was a dream.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The rest of the journey, I spend with Maralice, Victoria and Rosalie. We came up with a plan of attack for the negotiations on Lapus. Victoria wanted me to carry a small phaser underneath my dress, but it would be detected by the Alphans security grid. Instead, we went to the holodeck, where Victoria worked with me to manually disable any future attackers. The holodeck was even more impressive than the replicators. The room itself was the size of my quarters, but with a few commands, a fully-decked out gym and workout room appeared. I went to touch a bench, expecting it to be without any sort of form, but discovered it to be solid.

Victoria proved to be an agile fighter and patient teacher. I was never taught how to fight since it was my job to be the Empress, not a warrior. She taught me as much as she could in the days leading up to our arrival at Lapus. We even found a weapon for me to carry with me that wouldn’t be detected with the Alphan security grid. I was given a staff with an iridescent blue gem atop of it. However, with a twist of my wrist, four brutal looking blades popped out and were lethal. I’d kill many a holodeck opponents with my new weapon, but they were computer generated. Real warriors were probably more of a challenge and that terrified me.

Maralice also trained. She worked with the men of the vessel. Since she was widowed, she could interact with males. She was far more deadly with her own staff, causing significant damage to Commander Whitlock. She was shocked when she nearly cut off his arm and he laughed. Rosalie fixed him easily and Maralice felt incredibly guilty for her attack. Rosalie explained that Commander Whitlock was a hardened war vet, seeing and feeling numerous injuries. It was after that Commander Whitlock showed Maralice his legs, which were biomechanical implants.

Each night, I had the same dream. I was constantly looking for the shadowed stranger. It was fruitless. Whenever I got close enough, they disappeared. Instead of chasing dreams, I knew I had to focus on the imminent future. Within less than a day, we were going to be in orbit of the wintery world of Lapus and the barbaric inhabits, the Alphans.

Maralice came into our quarters after she met with the captain and his senior staff. She was going to debrief me on what was said. “So, our plan is in place. We’re going to maintain an open comm link. Captain Cullen showed me how to do it without it rousing suspicion. They’ll be able to hear everything that is said and done down on the surface. I’ve also spoke briefly to the ambassador on Lapus. They have arranged for lodgings for us, away from Jakob and his cronies. The ambassador seemed like a decent fellow, but I still don’t trust him since he is an Alphan.”

“I just want this nightmare to be over. I want our worlds to be united in peace,” I sighed, twirling my brunette hair. “I don’t understand why the Alphans are insistent on continuing this war. How many times have there been delegations sent here, only to be slaughtered by the Crown Prince or Princess? Are they really that evil?”

“I hate to say it, but yes,” Maralice frowned. “My Jamel, my beloved mate, saw many of our warriors killed because they were clearly Cygnarians. On the night that he was murdered, a raiding party attacked men as they slumbered. Jamel and his second in command, Camus, were the only ones who were able to fight. Jamel was killed by a massive Alphan while Camus managed to get away, informing the Council of Elders of the attack. We were able to stop the raiding party without further damage to nearby villages, but my beloved is forever with our Gods.”

“I pray every night that we are not being led into a trap,” I said, twisting the ring of the empress on my finger. It adorned my mother’s finger before mine and was passed down for generations. In the white metal sat a blue-ish _ioti_ stone, befitting royalty. It was rare, very rare. The only existing _ioti_ stones were in the ring I wore on my finger and my circlet that I wore for formal occasions, like the day I was crowned as empress or when I will have my bonding ceremony to my mate.

“I do the same, Bella,” Maralice said, hugging me close. “Victoria, Rosalie and Jasper have trained us as best they can. It’s now in the hands of the Gods.” I nodded. “I am giving you a sedative. You need to be awake and aware tomorrow. Get ready for bed, Empress.”

I said my prayers to the Gods and asked for strength from my parents. I was twenty-four years old. I missed my family. My father had been dead for less than a year. My mother died from childbirth. Charanel was a big baby and she lost too much blood. My brother was five years younger than me at nineteen, but still acted like a child. In addition to being a big baby, he was also born with some significant developmental delays. Even though he was a full-grown Cygnarian male, he would always have the mind of a child. He was being cared for my father’s brother, Noxel and his wife, Elyssea while I was on my journey. They knew that if I did not survive, Charanel would become Emperor, despite his handicap.

Yet another reason why failure was not an option. My brother would make every day _Hisnari_ and gorge himself on _Nari_ cakes.

Despite the sedative, my mind would not shut off. I was going stir crazy from being in our quarters for nearly the entire trip to Lapus. We had left a few times to go to the holodeck, but I’d only ever seen my quarters, the transporter room, the hallways and the holodeck, which could be anything you want it to be. I got up and padded to the main living space in our quarters. I ordered cup of _tala root_ tea with a shot of _tika._ I sat on the couch, watching the stars fly by and wished that I could magically make the conflict between Lapus and Forx disappear.

_Life doesn’t work like that, Nirabelle. The future of your world is in your hands. You cannot mate with him. You’ll die. Your people will die. Not right away, but they will._

So, that was a bit dramatic.

However, if I did mate with a male who I was not imprinted to, I will die, just as I will die if I meet my mate and do not bond with him in a year. My father had chosen a mate for me on Forx, but before he died, he told me that my future mate also passed on. As far as I knew, I didn’t have a mate and would not be able to carry on the line. I couldn’t mate with a non-Cygnarian. It was a taboo. Even going to Lapus, completing negotiations with males, was crossing so many cultural boundaries. Counselor Caius wanted to gut me when I said that this was the only way to end the war.

“Nirabelle! You should be in bed,” Maralice chided.

“I can’t sleep. My mind won’t shut off,” I said, giving her a half grin. Maralice sat next to me, guiding me down to her lap. Her tiny fingers run through my hair and she hums quietly. Somehow, this calmed me down and I eventually drift to sleep. I stayed asleep until I felt the shudder of the engine. I shot up, my heart stammering in my chest. “Are we here?”

“I think so,” Maralice said. The ship moved slowly and was soon in orbit of a green planet, covered in snow and ice. Maralice’s communicator chirped on the table.

“Cullen to Maralice,” he said.

Maralice got up, picking up the communicator and tapping it. “I’m here, Captain.”

“We’ve arrived at Lapus. We’ve hailed down to the surface, but no one is responding,” Captain Cullen said.

“They won’t respond to you. The Empress has to do it,” Maralice sighed, tucking my hair behind my ear. “We’ll contact the surface, Captain. When we have more information, we’ll let you know.”

“Understood. Cullen out,” he barked, ending the transmission.

“It’s show time, Empress,” Maralice said, giving me a reassuring smile. “Put your game face on.”

“Where did you hear that?” I asked, laughing quietly.

“Commander Whitlock,” she blushed, her spots glowing slightly. Getting up, she smoothed her tunic. “I’m going to get ready, Empress. I suggest you do the same. Dress warmly. It’s far colder on Lapus than it is on Forx.” She walked to her room and her door slid shut.

Doing the same, I wanted nothing more than to soak in a large tub with a ton of bubbles. However, the one luxury that the _Volvo_ didn’t have was baths. Only sonic showers. So, I took an obnoxious sonic shower. It irritated my ears. The frequency was painful for my sensitive hearing. Once I was clean, I dressed in blue dress with a silver belt that had an _ioti_ stone as a decoration. I braided my hair, affixing my silver tiara above my forehead.

Picking up my heavy beige cloak, I walked back to the main living room and sat down in front of the computer terminal. Using the frequency that Jakob sent to us, I put out a hail. Maralice was standing behind me, her hand on my shoulder. The computer screen blinked on and the sneering, snarling visage of Crown Prince Jakob filled the terminal. “You made it, Bella.”

“You will call the Empress by her rightful name,” Maralice snapped.

“Shut your mouth, _b’tak!_ I wasn’t talking to you,” Jakob growled, his lip pulled back to display his ragged, rotting teeth. I looked at Maralice, pleading with her to calm down. Once she stepped away, I turned back to the animal on the screen. “Now, are you ready to be mated with me? I can’t wait to feel you…”

“It’s not going to come to that, Jakob,” I said coldly. “Get that idea out of your head. If that’s why you summoned me is to mate with me, then our time has been wasted.” I went to switch off the computer, but he barked a command.

“Wait! I do want to negotiate a peace,” he purred, running his fingers through his beard. “Transport down here at the break of dawn. Three hours from now. We will discuss peace.” His eyes were rheumy and his voice was almost sing-song. He wasn’t serious, but I had to try.

“Three hours, Jakob,” I said, ending the transmission.

Those three hours went by so slowly. I’m surprised that I didn’t wear a hole in the bulkhead of my quarters. I changed my outfit so I could have something more comfortable underneath my dress. I added a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved shirt. Deciding to forego the uncomfortable footwear, I slipped on some flats. I also added the communicator that Victoria gave me underneath my cloak and a blade at my ankle. I didn’t want to be unprepared for this. One day. We had one day to hammer out peace, but I don’t think it will happen.

_Not if you have that defeatist attitude, Nirabelle._

Rosalie and Victoria escorted us to the transporter room. I held my staff and tried to not let my fears show. “Maralice, do you have your communicator transmitting?” Victoria asked from her spot behind the transporter controls.

“Yes. It’s being transmitted to the bridge,” she replied.

“Good luck,” Rosalie said, giving me a reassuring grin.

“We’ll need it, Dr. Halé,” I sighed. She walked next to Commander Braxas, whispering ‘energize.’ The tingle of the transporter fills my belly and the safe transporter room morphs to the angry red of the entryway of the Lapus palace. Standing in front of us were three large Alphan men. The man in the center was taller than the rest and I recognized him instantly as Jakob.

“Check them,” he barked to his minions. The approached us and began roughly grabbing our bodies. They found my blade and Alice’s communicator, crushing it instantly. One man was moving to mine when he got distracted by my breasts and he squeezed them forcefully. I cried out. “Enough! Do not touch her. I want her untainted for when I take her.”

“You’ll not have me,” I hissed. “We came here to work out a peace treaty between our worlds. I will not become your mate.”

“I never said you’re going to be my mate. Only that I’m taking you,” Jakob growled. “Grab the Envoy, throw her into a cell. _Empress_ ,” he sneered, “you better be a good actress because you need to make your vessel go away. You’re not going home.” He grabbed my arm and dragged me to the throne room. Chained along the walls were various naked women. Some were Alphan, others were different species that I didn’t recognize. In the corner, I saw an Alphan male grunting as he took a woman. She was begging, pleading for him to stop, but his movements were relentless. Jakob threw me onto a chair and he punched a few controls on the panel in front of me. “Speak,” he grunted.

On the screen, I recognized the bridge of the _Volvo_. A tall man with unruly copper hair stood up. My body warmed, my spots glowed and my heart started to truly beat. “Empress,” his voice called to me. It was deep and resonant, but soft-spoken and kind. “Is everything alright?”

“We’ve arrived on Lapus,” I said verbally. Mentally, I hoped that he felt the same as me. I was mated to a human. _If you can hear me inside your head, run your hand through your hair._ He tugged on his bronze strands. “Negotiations will be starting shortly.” _They’ve taken Maralice and removed her communicator. I don’t know where they’ve brought her, but you need to get her back onto your vessel!_ “Before they do, Jakob is preparing a feast for our arrival. A celebrations of sorts. You do not need to stay in orbit.”

 _Like hell I do,_ I heard in my mind. _Empress, I don’t know how I can hear you, or if you can hear me, but we’re working to get you out of there. Are you still wearing a communicator? Adjust your cloak if you are._ I shifted slightly, tugging my cloak tighter to my body. On the screen, Captain Cullen nodded and I felt the tingle of the transporter.

“No!” I screamed as I found myself on the bridge of the _Volvo._ “We have to go back. I have to get Maralice!” I sobbed.

“Find her,” Captain Cullen growled.

“We can’t get a lock, sir. They’re sending up ships and preparing to engage in battle,” a male said from the front of the bridge.

“We can’t transport when the shields are up, Captain,” Victoria said. “I’m trying to get a skeletal lock on her, but they may have…Got her!”

“Energize!” Captain Cullen snarled. Maralice appeared next to me, already bloodied and nearly naked. I removed my cloak, covering her body and guarding her from the unknown. “Shields up. Back to Cyganari space, maximum jump speed!”

“I’m so sorry,” I cried against my envoy and my friend. She was barely breathing. “I’ve failed.”

“Empress,” Captain Cullen whispered, crouching down next to me. “Maralice needs to get to sickbay.” _I hope that she’s okay._ “Commander Braxas, transport Envoy Maralice to sickbay along with the Empress. Energize.” I put my hand on his and the captain transported with us. Dr. Halé moved my friend to the medical bay and I stayed, touching the captain’s hand, allowing its warmth to soothe me. He guided me to a small office, not letting go of my hand. “Empress, I’m confused. What happened down there?”

“Jakob tricked us,” I sniffled. “He has no wish for peace. Only conquering. Me, specifically. This war will never end…”

“It will end, Empress,” he comforted. “Another thing…why can I hear you in my head?”

**A/N: There’s our second chapter. A picture of Jakob (also known as a Klingon) is on my tumblr and blog along with some ideas of what their home world looks like. Below are the Cygnari words that Maralice and Nirabelle mentioned. I’ll also try to keep up with a glossary for your benefit and mine.**

**Up next will be some information about why Nirabelle can transmit ideas through Edward’s head and devising a plan of attack regarding the Alphans. Leave me some!**

_Rishna Flies ~ Fireflies on Forx_

_Tala Root ~ Similar to chamomile tea, but a bit more sweet and bit spicy._

_Miranne ~ a fruit like a lemon, with a peachy aftertaste._

_Tika ~ Cygnarian liqueur_

_Firatte ~ A carnivore with six legs and two rows of razor sharp teeth, the most dangerous animal on the Cygnarian home world. Similar to a lion._

_Snirap ~ Cygnarian swear word, piece of shit_

_Pirna trees ~ a tall palm tree, the size of a California redwood._

_Ioti stones ~ moonstones with a pink-ish, pearlescent sheen_

_Hisnari ~ a celebration on Forx; people exchange gifts and eat special cakes, Nari cakes_ _in celebration of this holy day when the Cygnarian people were created._

_Nari cakes ~ like petit fours, eaten on Hisnari_

_B’tak ~ Alphan swear word, bitch._


	3. Chapter 3

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Three**

**BPOV**

_Jakob threw me onto a chair and he punched a few controls on the panel in front of me. “Speak,” he grunted._

_On the screen, I recognized the bridge of the Volvo. A tall man with unruly copper hair stood up. My body warmed, my spots glowed and my heart started to truly beat. “Empress,” his voice called to me. It was deep and resonant, but soft-spoken and kind. “Is everything alright?”_

_“We’ve arrived on Lapus,” I said verbally. Mentally, I hoped that he felt the same as me. I was mated to a human._ If you can hear me inside your head, run your hand through your hair. _He tugged on his bronze strands. “Negotiations will be starting shortly.”_ They’ve taken Maralice and removed her communicator. I don’t know where they’ve brought her, but you need to get her back onto your vessel! _“Before they do, Jakob is preparing a feast for our arrival. A celebrations of sorts. You do not need to stay in orbit.”_

Like hell I do, _I heard in my mind._ Empress, I don’t know how I can hear you, or if you can hear me, but we’re working to get you out of there. Are you still wearing a communicator? Adjust your cloak if you are. _I shifted slightly, tugging my cloak tighter to my body. On the screen, Captain Cullen nodded and I felt the tingle of the transporter._

 _“No!” I screamed as I found myself on the bridge of the_ Volvo _. “We have to go back. I have to get Maralice!” I sobbed._

_“Find her,” Captain Cullen growled._

_“We can’t get a lock, sir. They’re sending up ships and preparing to engage in battle,” a male said from the front of the bridge._

_“We can’t transport when the shields are up, Captain,” Victoria said. “I’m trying to get a skeletal lock on her, but they may have…Got her!”_

_“Energize!” Captain Cullen snarled. Maralice appeared next to me, already bloodied and nearly naked. I removed my cloak, covering her body and guarding her from the unknown. “Shields up. Back to Cyganari space, maximum jump speed!”_

_“I’m so sorry,” I cried against my envoy and my friend. She was barely breathing. “I’ve failed.”_

_“Empress,” Captain Cullen whispered, crouching down next to me. “Maralice needs to get to sickbay.”_ I hope that she’s okay. _“Commander Braxas, transport Envoy Maralice to sickbay along with the Empress. Energize.” I put my hand on his and the captain transported with us. Dr. Halé moved my friend to the medical bay and I stayed, touching the captain’s hand, allowing its warmth to soothe me. He guided me to a small office, not letting go of my hand. “Empress, I’m confused. What happened down there?”_

_“Jakob tricked us,” I sniffled. “He has no wish for peace. Only conquering. Me, specifically. This war will never end…”_

_“It will end, Empress,” he comforted. “Another thing…why can I hear you in my head?”_

**EPOV**

I watched the Empress as she squirmed in her seat. Tears were falling down her pale cheeks. I wanted to touch her, hug her and make all of her pain go away. She was already going against protocol by talking to me, but to hear her in my mind? I needed to step away, despite every bone in my body wishing to stay with her. “I’m sorry, Empress,” I murmured. “I need to head back to the bridge. There were several Alphan ships preparing to…” The ship rolled. The Empress fell off her seat and into my arms. My entire body sizzled, warming me from the inside.

“Whitlock to Cullen!” barked my communicator.

“Cullen here,” I responded, holding the Empress against my chest.

“Get your ass up here! We’ve got four Alphan battle cruisers on our tail,” Jasper growled.

“On my way,” I answered, tapping my communicator. Empress Nirabelle was clinging to me. “Empress, I have to go back up to the bridge.”

“Can I stay with you?” she asked, her blue eyes dim and sad.

“Yes. Come with me,” I said, taking her hand. She lifted our joined hands, pressing them to her cheek. She shuddered but appeared to calm immediately. I also felt more focused. She looked up, her eyes determined. I led her to the turbolift, barking to the computer, “Bridge.” The ship was hit twice more as we rode to the bridge. Exiting the lift, I guided the Empress to the seat to my left. “Stay here, Empress.” Turning to my crew. “Status.”

“Shields are holding. We have two Alphan war birds and one battle cruiser,” Jasper explained. “We have yet to return fire.”

“You initially said that there were four,” I said, arching a brow.

“One disappeared, sir,” Commander Braxas said from tactical. “It was there and then it was gone.”

“The Alphans have something called cloaking technology,” Empress Nirabelle explained. “The ship is not gone. It’s just cloaked, hidden. They cannot fire while cloaked.”

“How can you find these cloaked ships? How many of them are there?” Jasper growled. His eyes were blazing and he was ready to attack the Empress. I stepped between them, glaring at my first officer angrily.

“I don’t know, Commander,” she said, shrinking back. “I think they may have two or three ships that can be cloaked, but we don’t honestly know. It’s new technology. One of those ships are what caused the death of my father.” Her voice hitched and she twisted her ring on her finger.

“Be respectful, Whitlock,” I snapped as our ship took another hit, causing us to deviate our course. “Drop out of jump speed. Ready phasers and torpedoes. This shit is ending now. Commander Braxas, did you get a read on their tactical systems?”

“They are armed to the teeth, Captain, but their ships are older and in disrepair. The war birds only have forward shielding. The battle cruiser has no shield that I can detect,” Victoria explained.

“Commander, fire at the lead ship. Only to disable, not destroy,” I said.

“Captain,” Jasper hissed.

“I want to get out of this with a diplomatic solution, Commander Whitlock,” I growled. “Yes, the Alphans are monsters, but I have to try. Fire, Commander!” On the view screen, she shot two torpedoes to the battle cruiser. She hit one of their engine necelles, crippling their jump capabilities. The other hit along the wing of the battle cruiser, causing a good part of the hull to vaporize.

“Sir, we’re being hailed,” said Lt. Riley.

“On screen,” I commanded. The ugly face of Crown Prince Jakob filled the screen. He was seething. “You opened fire on a Federation vessel. That’s considered to be an act of war. You do not want to quarrel with the Federation. You will lose.”

“You took what was mine, _b’tak!_ ”Jakob snapped, pointing at the Empress. “That _pinotte_ is mine. She will be screaming my name as I…”

“The only person who will be screaming will be you,” I said, my anger growing in my belly.

 _He is only baiting you, Captain_ , came the soothing voice of Empress Nirabelle. _I’m not his. Nor will I ever be_.

“I beg to differ, you _extap_ ,” Jakob said smugly. “This is not over. Bella will be my _pinotte_. Her _funoch_ will be bleeding from my…” He stood up and grabbed his penis. “ _Oo-out!_ ”

The screen blinked back to the ships hovering in front of us. The ships turned around and flew back toward Lapus. Jakob’s ship had to be towed by the two war birds. I chuckled at that. However, I could feel Empress Nirabelle’s fear. I had to get her off this bridge and we had to find that cloaked vessel. “Damage report,” I asked.

“Just some minor damage to the shield emitters near the crew quarters,” Jasper said. “Lt. Morgainne already has a repair team on their way to correct it. Minor casualties, sprained ankles and such are being reported from sickbay. Envoy Maralice is in surgery.”

“What are we going to do?” asked Victoria.

“Head back to Cygnarian space for the time being,” I said. “We need to strategize about what should be done. Commander Braxas, try and find out how to find that cloaked ship. Commander Whitlock, help her. Try to tap into the Cygnarian database for any information on the cloaking technology. Lt. Riley, set a course back to Forx.”

“Yes, sir,” Lt. Riley said, nodding. He made the course corrections and I ordered him to go to jump speed.

I looked at the Empress. She was barely hanging on by a thread. “Let me escort you back to your quarters, Empress. You need some rest,” I said gently. She blushed and her spots glowed. “Commander Whitlock, the bridge is yours.” I led the Empress onto the turbolift. She was twisting her ring, staring longingly at my hands. Once the doors closed, I took her tiny hand in mine. Her spots glowed brighter and she sighed. The warmth I’d felt before was more pronounced and bats had taken up residence in my stomach.

 _I know you have questions, Captain. I will explain everything in my quarters,_ she said, her thumb rubbing over my knuckles. _I promise._

I nodded, letting her hold my hand as we rode down to her quarters. Exiting on the sixth deck, we arrived at her quarters and she removed her tiara. Her regal posture deflated and she looked so lost. “Empress?” I whispered.

“Call me Bella,” she murmured, looking back at me. “Please?”

“Of course, Bella,” I smiled. “Do you want something to eat? Drink?”

“ _Tala root_ tea,” she said, falling onto the couch. “With a slice of _miranne_.”

“Computer, one shot of tequila and a cup of _tala root_ tea with a slice of _miranne,_ ” I ordered.

“What’s tequila?” Bella asked, her face adorably confused.

“It’s a liquor,” I chuckled as the computer whirred to life. “After _that_ , I need a shot to calm my nerves.”

“Can I get a shot of tequila, too?” Bella blushed. “I’ve yet to try any human delicacies.”

“Computer, one more shot of tequila,” I said. Another shot glass appeared and I carried the two shot glasses along with her tea to the couch. I handed her the tequila, which she took. Her blue eyes appraised the clear liquid and she sniffed it. Her nose wrinkled adorably. “It’s strong.”

“How do you do this shot?” she asked, looking at me with her large blue eyes. “Do you sip it or all in one gulp?”

“All in one gulp,” I said, clinking my glass with hers. “Bottoms up.”

“Um, bottoms up,” she giggled, her face turning up into a curious smile. We both slammed the tequila. I shuddered, putting the glass down onto the table. Bella swallowed it, blinking rapidly. “Wow! That’s definitely stronger than _tika_. It’ll make my spots fall off.”

“Unlikely, Bella,” I said, smiling softly.

“Captain,” she began.

“Edward. Call me Edward. If I can hear you in my brain, I think we’re past formalities,” I quipped.

“Edward,” she whispered. My name sounded foreign on her lips. She repeated it a few times before she looked at me. “Edward. That’s a strong name.”

“Thank you,” I blushed. “I always thought it was old fashioned, but my mom insisted on naming me after my grandfather.”

“I was also named for my mother’s mother,” Bella smiled. “She was Nirabelle, as well. It is a great honor to carry such a special gift like a name. If I have a daughter, she will be named for my mother, Riannelle.”

“Both names are beautiful,” I said.

“Thank you, Edward,” she said, taking my hand. “I know you have questions. And I promised to answer them.” She sighed, tracing the veins on my hand. “How much do you know about my people?”

“Not much, honestly. The only things I know are what I read in the report sent to me by my commanding officer. You’re a very private species, but you wish to gain admittance into the Federation. You’ve applied several times but have been denied due to the war between the Alphans and the Cygnarians,” I explained. “The Council of Elders set up some pretty strict rules regarding your interaction with my crew, which I know they’re going to call for my head when they see us together. Counselor Caius was adamant that you not speak to any man. He said it was taboo.”

“It is,” Bella explained. “On our world, we have one true love. One soul mate. Typically, that soul mate is chosen for you by your parents since they have the same genetic makeup as you. They can recognize your imprint.”

“Imprint?” I asked.

“It’s how we describe the connection we have,” Bella said, her spots glowing brightly. “My father had found my imprint on Forx. I was to be mated to him by the time I was twenty-five. However, my imprint was killed in the war. I was destined to be an unmated Empress, never carrying on the family line. The next heir coming from my brother, Charanel.”

“Couldn’t you imprint with another Cygnarian?” I questioned.

“No. My Cygnarian imprint was the only one of his kind,” Bella explained.

“Cygnarian?”

“Do you see how my spots glow? How I can speak to you in your mind? The warmth you feel?” she whispered. “The need to constantly touch?”

“Yes,” I murmured.

“It is rare for a Cygnarian female to have another imprint. Even rarer for that imprint to be someone off world. We are mated, Edward,” she explained, her eyes shining with a glimmer of happiness but a great deal of fear. “It is instantaneous, but not complete.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our bond grows stronger with touch and with time. The longer you are bonded with your imprint, the more unbreakable your connection becomes. My mother and father, at the time of my mother’s death, had been bonded for over fifty hundred years,” Bella said. “They were so close that my father was at a loss after she died during the birth of my brother. My father almost died with her, but seeing me and my brother, who was very sick, gave him the strength to continue on.”

“I’m sorry about your mother,” I said, threading my fingers through hers.

“I miss her every day. A bond between parent and child is almost as strong as your mate, but not quite,” she blushed, her spots glowing. “Our bond, though, needs to be completed within one year of meeting and imprinting.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“We need to mate, but with you being human and our rules, they will never allow our union,” she said, standing up and looking out the window. “The Council of Elders are so adamant in their rules; that they do not care about the feelings of their people. One man mated with a woman from a nearby Reman colony. He begged to be mated with her. The Council denied his request. This was shortly after the death of my father and I was grieving. I couldn’t overturn their ruling. The man and his Reman imprint died because they could not completely form their bond.”

“So, we could die? Couldn’t we bond or mate or whatever, form the bond and then…” I began. “I can’t believe I said that. That goes against everything I believe. We have rules, too…”

“We could, but I’d be cast off Forx, forever banned from my home world. I’d never be allowed to see my brother again,” she said. “I can’t allow that to happen. We have to force the Council of Elders to see reason. The people of Forx are becoming extinct. We used to have nearly a billion people on my world. With the casualties of war and the need to imprint in order to mate, that has since dwindled to half that. Our scientists have projected that in fifty years, it will be even smaller. We are having more male babies than female. If something doesn’t happen soon, Forx and all Cygnarians will be a figment of your imagination.”

I got up and walked over to her. Tentatively, I put my hand on her shoulder. She turned, wrapping her tiny arms around my waist and crying quietly. I held her in my arms, relishing in the feeling of her soft body pressed to mine. Her spicy scent was surrounding me. Her mind reached out to mine. _For the first time since my father died, I feel safe, Edward. It’s because of our bond. I know you’ll protect me. I’ve seen it. We need to convince the Council of Elders to allow this. They need to allow our mating._

“That’s our first step,” I whispered against her mahogany curls. “The second step is to get Forx admitted to the Federation. With the Alphans firing on a Federation vessel, they’ve committed an act of war against us. I need to contact my father about getting Forx the protection it needs. That is something that I can handle. Diplomacy at its finest.”

“What about the Alphans and that cloaking field?” she asked.

“Commander Braxas and Commander Whitlock are brilliant at that sort of thing. However, anything your government can provide for us regarding that technology would be very helpful,” I said.

“We don’t have much, but whatever we have, you can use,” Bella replied, her brows furrowing. “I’m sorry that you are dragged into this and that…”

“Bella, I’m not,” I murmured. I cupped her cheek. Her skin was so soft. Her spots glowed brighter than I’d ever seen them. Her blue eyes also began to glow as she moved closer to me. With a gasp, she stepped back.

 _We cannot! If we_ senelle, _then we must begin the mating process,_ she said, her voice panicking in my head.

“Senelle?” I asked.

“Our lips touch,” she muttered. Her mind showed me what she meant and it was an innocent kiss. My heart yearned for it. I wanted it.

“Oh, a kiss. If we kiss,” I said.

“Kiss,” she repeated. “Yes.”

“I do have one question, though,” I pondered. “You said that your father had chosen a Cygnarian man for you to imprint with…yet, you’re still alive?”

“I hadn’t met him. If I had met him and we didn’t bond, I would have died,” Bella explained, staring at my mouth. She licked her pink lips and gave me a pout. _I think it’s best you go. The pull I feel for you, it’s unbearably strong. I really want to feel your lips against mine._

“Can I see you again?” I asked.

“Yes, but I need to refocus my thoughts,” she murmured. “I need strength from my family and to meditate. I think that tequila has made me…”

“Drunk?”

“Not drunk, but impaired,” she answered, her eyes glowing slightly. “I also need to check on Maralice. How do I get from sickbay from here?”

“I’ll send down Commander Braxas when she’s available,” I said.

“Thank you, Edward,” she murmured, giving me the greeting. I did the same and turned to leave her quarters. Tapping my communicator, I asked Commander Braxas to escort the Empress to sickbay when she’s available. Victoria said that she’d come down now since she needed the Empress’s access to get into the Cygnarian database regarding the cloaking device. I went back to the bridge, checking on the status of the repairs to our shield emitters. They were nearly finished. Nodding, I left Lt. Riley in charge of the bridge, as Commander Whitlock was in his office, trying to find the cloaked vessel. I went into my ready room, sitting heavily in my chair and wracking my brain over what to do.

I pulled up the communications array and sent a hail to Galaxy Fleet Headquarters in Seattle. My father’s assistant, Commander Laurent, answered. He was a Turulian, a highly logical species and very loyal. Commander Laurent had dark skin with cropped hair, nearly bald. His ears were pointed on the tips and connected to his jaw. Commander Laurent patched me through to my father. “Edward, how’s the mission.”

“Not good, sir,” I muttered. “This Jakob character does not want to negotiate a peace between the Alphans and Cygnarians. His goal is to rape and kill the Empress.”

“You got her out, right?” my father asked.

“Yes, but not without exposing her to males on board. Which brings me to my next issue, she and I have this bond thing. I can hear the Empress in my head. According to her, I’m her imprint as she’s mine,” I said, blushing slightly.

“What does that mean?”

“We’re each other’s soul mates, supposedly,” I sighed, scrubbing my face. “It’s a taboo for a Cygnarian to bond with someone off world. But, according Empress Nirabelle, the war and this need to imprint is slowly killing off their species. In addition to that, the Alphan’s opened fire on our vessel. We have some minor damage, but…”

“It’s an act of war,” my father frowned.

“I would like to end this diplomatically, but this prince is an animal. I’m sending you a copy of the hail from the attack. He graphically describes what he will do to the Empress,” I growled. I sent him the file. I could hear Jakob’s deep, snarling voice over the comm link. My father gasped at the end of the transmission. “This is what we’re dealing with. I do not think that they are amenable to peace. They are looking for a fight. These Alphans also have new technology. The Empress called it cloaking technology. It made one of their ships disappear. Our scanners can’t detect it. For all we know, the ship is flying into Cygnarian space, heading straight for Forx. They need our help.”

“This is troublesome. Cloaking technology? If in the wrong hands, it could obliterate the Federation,” he growled. “I’ll speak to the Federation president. We have to have a majority to provide assistance. Send me a report of everything you’ve told me. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” I nodded.

“And this imprinting business, I need you to stay away from the Empress,” my father said, his eyes blazing.

My heart jumped and I paled, feeling like all of my strength was zapped from me, “No,” I whispered. I started panicking, clutching my chest and losing all control…

“Edward?”

“I can’t stay away, Dad,” I squeaked, the tightness in my chest dissipating. “This connection, it’s physical as well as telepathic.”

“I can see that,” he said, arching a brow. “I’m just concerned that you went against the Council of Elders decree that the Empress not be in any contact with men.”

“It was a bit of a cluster fuck, Dad,” I said, trying to keep my temper in check. “Jakob was making her hail us, saying that she didn’t need help, but then her voice chimes in my head with what was really going on. Her envoy was taking prisoner and she was brutalized in the ten minutes that she was taken. I made an executive decision. Yes, it meant that the Empress came in contact with men, but she’s alive. Lesser of two evils.”

“You’re right,” Carlisle sighed. “You have to contact the council. You know that, right?”

“Yes. I wanted you to know first. I need your support on this because of the act of aggression from the Alphans. They are a warrior species, with no sense of honor. They wish to conquer, rape and pillage. I hate to say it, but this is bigger than me. The Cygnarians need our assistance, our protection,” I said, my heart pounding in anxiety. “We can’t let them die or be conquered by the Alphans.”

“Send me a report. The Federation president and the Federation council will hear of this new development. Once I have more information, I’ll pass it along to you. Since you are the liaison to the Cygnarian people, you will be the point person in this mission,” Carlisle said. “I’ll send word to the ships along the Federation border to be ready to come to your aide. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” I nodded.

“And Edward, I’m glad you made it out of there alive. The situation with the Council of Elders will be hairy, but hopefully, they’ll listen to reason,” my father said softly.

“They have to. If not, they’re dooming their Empress and me to death,” I said grimly. His eyebrows shot up. “It’ll be in my report. Cullen out.” I turned to my tablet, working on writing everything down for the report for my father, the Federation president and Federation council. I worked for over an hour, reliving the whole thing and my body in near turmoil.

 _Edward, I can feel your anxiety from sickbay,_ Bella thought to me. _I know you’re scared. You’re trained not to show fear. I’m scared, too…_

 _How can you…? Are you empathic?_ I asked, putting my tablet down.

 _Only with my imprint. You noticed that when we touch, we feel calm?_ She asked.

I nodded. _Yes. My focus increases, too._

 _It is how imprints know what each other need. It usually takes years to create this level of intimacy. I think that you’re human, it’s changing the chemistry of our bond. We may have less time than I described,_ Bella explained. _I just pray that the Council listens to what we have to say._

 _My father, the Admiral that your father worked with, said that I needed to stay away from you…I felt physically ill,_ I thought miserably.

 _I felt that, Edward. We cannot be apart, nor can we be too close. Our need to mate will become overwhelming,_ she sighed.

 _How’s Alice?_  I asked.

 _She’s…bad. I cannot speak of it or think of it. When you are done with your report, can you please come to sickbay? I need your touch,_ Bella pleaded.

 _I’ll be there in a half hour,_ I soothed. She cooed mentally, murmuring something in Cygnarian before her soft voice left my brain.

I felt a little more put together after our mental chat. I finished my report, making some corrections before sending it to Galaxy Fleet Headquarters. Upon receipt of my report from Commander Laurent, I left my ready room and checked on the bridge. Things were going smoothly and we were nearly out of Alphan space.

I walked to Jasper’s office. He was pouring over the information that Cygnarians had gathered about the cloaking device. However, there wasn’t a lot since their scanners were not as sophisticated as ours. All of their resources went towards maintaining the crucial systems for their ships, like engines, shielding, and weapons. Their fleet was small, but powerful. However, the Alphan’s ships were much bigger and more abundant. The Cygnarians were out-manned and out-gunned. Jasper was curt and angry as he went over what he found, barely giving me the time of day. Not wanting to argue with him, I left him and went down to sickbay.

Rose was in her office while Bella was seated next to a still very beat up Maralice. Bella looked at me, her eyes shimmering with tears as she held Maralice’s hand. “Captain?” called Rose.

“Report,” I murmured as I slipped into her office.

“Those Alphans are fucking animals,” Rose sneered. “Within the ten minutes she was out of contact with the Empress, they…” Rose didn’t continue, but showed me pictures. My anger quickly mounted and I shot up from my seat. “I’ve repaired the internal damage. I’m waiting until she’s more stable before I work on the damage to the bones. Envoy Maralice has a great deal of recuperation to contend with, sir.”

“I can’t believe the amount of damage they caused,” I muttered, hatred coloring my tone. “Will she make a full recovery?”

“Physically, yes. I’m concerned with her mental well-being. I can sense, even her sedated state, a great deal of shame over what happened to her. She also feels guilt,” Rose frowned. “Maralice will need a great deal of counseling to get over this, but she should make a full recovery.” Rose took my arm, leading me into the adjacent science lab. Once the door shut, she arched a brow at me. “What I’m concerned about is the sheer amount of love and lust I’m feeling from both you and the Empress. What’s going on?”

“Love?” I asked, a goofy, crooked grin spreading over my face. Rose smacked me. “Hey! I’m still your commanding officer, Rosalie!”

“You looked like my baby brother when he saw his first pair of tits,” Rose smirked. I rolled my eyes. “You may be my commanding officer, but you’re also my dearest friend. What’s going on? Tell me or I’ll relieve you of duty.”

“On what grounds?” I challenged.

“Diminished mental capabilities,” she retorted. “Spill.”

“I feel like I’m at the academy all over again,” I deadpanned. “Abridged version…” I told her briefly about the connection that Bella and I share, its ramifications and the weird physical quirks, such as shared telepathy, empathic connection and physical illness at the thought of separation. Rose ran a scan of me, noting no abnormalities. However, she ran an experiment, suggesting that I distance myself from Bella and the same feeling of panic and distress washed over me. Bella felt it and found us in the science lab.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her spots glowing dimly and her eyes appraising me.

“Me, being a scientist. Captain Cullen told me of your…what is it called?”

“We are imprinted to each other,” we both responded, obviously our minds in mental sync.

“Freaky,” Rose said, arching a brow. Bella walked over to me, taking my hand and sighing contentedly. “I’m going to check on Maralice.”

“Thank you for all that you’ve done, Dr. Halé,” Bella said quietly. Rose nodded, slipping back into sickbay. Once she was gone, Bella cuddled in my arms. I held her tightly, enjoying the warmth of having her near me. “I don’t know how I’d cope if…if you weren’t here, Edward.”

“I spoke briefly with Rose. How is she?” I asked, guiding her to a set of chairs.

“Those _chenkaks_ took her honor,” Bella snarled, her eyes dimming and turning completely black. “They desecrated her body with their actions and…and humiliated her family and the family of her deceased mate. Dr. Halé explained that the damage to her reproductive system is great, but your medical technology should heal her completely.”

“Rose can sense emotions. She’s half Solarian and she said that she can sense shame and guilt from Maralice,” I frowned.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Bella said, tracing my palm. “Our bodies are only for our mates, not as playthings for those _firattes_.” I blushed, looking down at our hands. _What is it, Edward?_

“I’ve been married before,” I muttered. “To Rose. Dr. Halé.”

“Mating is different than marriage,” Bella said. “Marriage can be broken. Your feelings toward Dr. Halé are almost like she is a sibling, not a mate. You bicker like I do with my brother, Charanel. You did not share a soul with Dr. Halé. There is love and respect between you two, but what we feel is different. It transcends love…”

“There is just so much that I’m confused about,” I said. “How is this…our relationship…going to work?”

“Your job is here, on this vessel. I know that. My job is to rule my people,” she said. “I do not wish to take you away from your duty, nor would you do that for me. Right now, we need to focus on the task at hand, allowing our mating to happen and getting Forx the protection it needs from your Federation.”

“It will take a week to get back to Forx,” I said. “We have that long to create an argument for our mating. Our biggest hope is to use the imminent extinction to our favor.”

“I think that we need to contact Counselor Marcusi. Some Cygnarians have enhanced powers. He can see strengths in relationships and his mate, Didyme, is only half Cygnarian,” Bella said, giving me a secretive smile.

“How is that possible?” I asked.

“Her mother was a human, father was Cygnarian. He was stationed near the Federation border when he met this human woman. They imprinted and mated. Cygnarian genetics made Didyme look nearly fully Cygnarian. The only difference you can see are in her spots. They do not glow as brightly as mine or Maralice’s. In order to hide his transgression, Didyme’s father surgically altered his mate, but she was a Cygnarian-human hybrid.”

“Does Counselor Marcusi know?” I questioned.

“He does and he loves her all of the same,” Bella said, reaching up to caress my face. She giggled. “Prickly!”

“Oh, my beard,” I chuckled. “It’s a trait I inherited from my father. My beard, the hair on my face, grows very quickly.”

She rubbed my face, almost purring. “I like it,” she said. “You are very handsome, Edward.”

I blushed, my face probably turning crimson. “It is you that is gorgeous, Bella. But thank you.”

I reached up and ran my finger down her spots. She shuddered, leaning forward. Her lips pouted, wanting a kiss. With a gasp, she sat back, taking my hand and holding it in her lap. “You are too tempting, Edward,” she said, her spots almost simmering beneath her skin. “Touching a Cygnarian’s spots is quite the aphrodisiac.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” I apologized.

“Keep it on file,” she purred. With a loud huff, she got up. “I need to go back to my quarters, Edward. I must meditate. Like I said, you are tempting. If we were fully bonded, our clothes would have been long gone by now.”

“You’re telling me,” I snorted, shifting so my arousal was hidden.

“Tomorrow, we must contact Counselor Marcusi,” she said, standing up. “He should be able to see our connection through the comm link.” She pressed her hand to my cheek. “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari.”_

“That is beautiful,” I whispered. “What does it mean?”

“It is how Cygnarians say ‘I love you,’” she smiled softly. “Translated, it means, ‘You are my heart, I am your soul. My love for you is for always.’ I’ve heard it said between my mother and father, never truly understanding its meaning. Now, I do.”

“Say it again,” I murmured, pressing my hand to her neck, just above her glowing spots.

She gasped, her blue eyes filling with tears. “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari.”_

I repeated it, but it sounded clumsy on my tongue. Bella just stared at me, her eyes filled with such devotion. “I love you sounds so trite compared to that…”

“I know that in your heart, you believe that you are my heart and that I’m your soul,” she said. She took my hand and pressed a soft kiss to my palm. “Tomorrow, Edward.”

“Until then,” I said as I watched her glide out of the science lab.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Sleep eluded me. I lay in my bed in my quarters, staring at my palm. Where Bella’s lips touched my skin, it was sizzling and warm and perfect. Feeling her soft body against mine, made me feel complete. Hearing her sweet, melodic voice made my cock grow and knowing that she _loved_ me…there were no words to express the elation I felt.

The scientist in me, though, couldn’t make sense of it. Love at first sight? Mental telepathy? Physiological reaction at being apart? With a growl, I got up and dressed in some civilian clothes. I was hungry but being in my quarters made me yearn to hold Bella in my arms as we slept. I walked to the mess hall. Sitting down with my late night snack and my tablet, I lost myself in the preliminary report about the cloaked vessel.

Jasper walked in, looking bedraggled and haggard. He was shocked to see me at the table. “I figured you’d be tapping the Empress’s ass,” he snorted.

“Commander,” I warned.

“Sorry,” he said, sitting across from me. “The sparks coming off of you two were…” He whistled lowly.

“They were something else,” I said, sipping my tea. I figured I’d try the _tala root_ variety like Bella had ordered in her quarters. I didn’t care for the _miranne_ , but with a slice of lemon? It was really good. “Are you okay?”

“Not really,” he sighed, scrubbing his face. “This thing with the Envoy…I worked with her to fight. She was allowed to interact with men since she was married or mated before. But, there’s something about her that just _draws me in_. You know?”

“Can you hear her inside your head?” I asked, half-joking.

“Um, sometimes?” he replied. “I asked her about it but she left almost immediately, muttering in Cygnarian. She kept repeating something over again. Jamel?”

“I could guess that Jamel was the name of her mate. He was killed as far as I know. From what the Empress said, Cygnarians mate only once and the fact that she’s bonded with you, must confuse her since she probably feels like she’s cheating on Jamel,” I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“So, I’m bonded to Maralice?” Jasper questioned.

“I don’t know. I can ask the Empress,” I said. Jasper nodded, clearly uncomfortable with talking about his feelings. “Explain some of this stuff in this report. It’s not making sense.”

“Oh, right. This is purely speculation, but from the readings we took just before the ship disappeared showed a spike in gamma radiation. That spike stayed nearby, located off our starboard side.” Jasper pointed to a diagram of the _Volvo._ “We ran some scans, looking for that same spike. Roughly four light years behind us, we have a tail.”

“The cloaked vessel,” I murmured.

“We think. Now, we need to find a way to counteract that cloak. The gamma radiation is spread pretty thin and we don’t think that it’s the vessel, just the exhaust from their _necelles_ or residual energy from the cloak itself,” Jasper explained. “Right now, we’re trying to figure out to disable it. Possibly using the deflector to emit _omichron_ particles to counteract the gamma radiation. Purge the antimatter from the _necelles_.”

“Try using the _omichron_ particles first. I’d rather not purge the antimatter from the _necelles_ just yet,” I said. “Is there a Cygnarian colony nearby?”

“From the database, they have a small colony in the _H’Nan_ system,” Jasper said.

“Perhaps the Empress can make a visit to see her people?” I shrugged. “I’ll mention it to her when I see her tomorrow. Or rather, later today.”

“What about the rules about no males?” Jasper asked, his voice filled with curiosity. I shrugged because I truly didn’t know. I’d probably know more once I spoke with Counselor Marcusi. “What about the Admiral?”

“I sent a report, describing all that happened today. He was going to speak with the Federation president and Federation council. Nearby ships have been put on alert, though,” I said. “We will be having a briefing tomorrow afternoon once Rose finishes up the treatments for Maralice.”

“Have you sent out the information?’ Jasper asked.

“Just did,” I said, showing him the screen on my tablet. “I’m going to head to bed, Commander. I know that today has been trying…”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Jasper said dryly.

“But, you did some great work today,” I smiled, getting up from my seat. I finished my tea, placing it back in the replicator. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Commander.”

“Good night, Captain,” Jasper said, smirking.

I managed to fall asleep and got around three hours of rest before I woke up to my alarm. With all that had happened, I needed to get a workout in. I dressed in a pair of shorts and t-shirt, walking to the holodeck. I chose my usual workout program and spent an hour and half running in early twenty-first century Chicago along Lake Michigan. My ancestors lived there most of their lives until my great grandfather moved to Seattle to join the new Galaxy Fleet. Finishing my run, I ended the program. Walking back to my quarters, I took a sonic shower and dressed in my uniform.

 _Edward, would you like to join me in my quarters for breakfast?_ Bella asked me mentally. _We need to discuss our conversation with Counselor Marcusi._

 _On my way,_ I smiled, getting on the turbolift to Bella’s quarters. After a short ride and a walk to her quarters, I rang the door chime. The door slid open with an exhausted Bella standing on the other side. As soon as I walked in, she fell in my arms and inhaled deeply. I was certain I did the same. She clung to me. “Are you alright?”

“I couldn’t rest,” she murmured, her cheek pressed to my sternum. “I had _berannes_ about what happened yesterday. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the evil face of Jakob and that room. I woke up screaming. I gave up trying to rest and spent the night with Maralice until Dr. Halé kicked me out so she could finish her medical treatments.”

“I had trouble sleeping, too. Though my worries were about the entire situation and how resolve this diplomatically,” I said. “I also couldn’t stop thinking of you.”

“In each of my _berannes_ , you were my hero. You are my hero, Edward,” she said, snuggling closer. I smiled against her hair, running my fingers down her espresso ringlets. “Now, I know you are busy. We need to call Counselor Marcusi. He lives separately from his brothers since he is mated.”

“Counselor Aro and Counselor Caius are not?” I asked.

“They have taken a vow of celibacy in order to protect the Cygnarian people,” she explained. “Their family would not allow all of their children to take the same vow. Their name must be carried on. Counselor Marcusi is the oldest brother and he was given an imprint, Didyme, who I told you about yesterday.” She led me to the computer terminal and encouraged me to sit on the chair. She knelt next to me.

 _No,_ I thought, guiding her back to her feet. _I do not want you kneeling…_ I guided her to my lap, where she sat down on my thigh. “Much better.”

“Is this a human custom?” she asked, her blue eyes twinkling despite their exhaustion.

“Kind of,” I chuckled. “It’s wrong for an empress to be kneeling on the floor. You are royalty.”

“No, I’m not. I’m Bella,” she said, caressing my cheek. Her eyes widened. “Your face is smooth!”

“I just shaved, Bella,” I laughed. “In an hour, it’ll be prickly again.”

She leaned forward, pressing her cheek to mine. With a low, gentle purr, she nuzzled my face. Her mind was repeating that Cygnarian phrase. I wanted to badly cup her chin and press my mouth to hers. We couldn’t. We needed to get the permission of the Council of Elders. I did not want Bella to be banished from her home. _Bella, I love this. But…we need to stop._

“I’m sorry,” she said, her gaze dropping to the floor.

“Don’t be. We are definitely testing our restraint,” I chuckled, raising her face to mine. “I know that kissing begins the mating bond. What you were doing made me want to kiss you.” Her spots glowed along with her eyes. “Call Counselor Marcusi.”

With a sigh, she accessed the communications array, typing in a certain code. The Cygnarian crest filled the screen as we waited for the hails to be answered. When it did, Counselor Marcusi’s face appeared. “Empress, I am pleased to see you are alright. What news do you have?”

“Not good, I’m afraid,” she said. “Jakob tricked us. He only wanted to conquer and rape me. In fact, some of his men desecrated Maralice. She is in surgery as we speak.”

“Will she be alright?” Marcusi asked, his own spots glowing in concern.

“The doctor said that she will be fine physically but her mental and emotional well-being are in turmoil,” Bella explained.

“Empress, I am so sorry about your Envoy. I know that Maralice was a good friend,” Marcusi said. “Her connections to you were strong, almost like mother to daughter. I am curious, though. I see another, stronger connection surrounding you. It’s as bright as I’ve ever seen. Most mates are not that strong…”

“That’s because I have met my imprint,” Bella explained, moving the screen so I could be included.

Marcusi’s eyes narrowed as he appraised me. “He’s a human.”

“So is Didyme, half human,” Bella argued.

“You are not supposed to know that, Empress. If anyone found out…” Marcusi sputtered. He glanced back at me and then to Bella. “You are one soul.”

“Is that different from usual?” I asked.

“Yes, Captain,” Marcusi said. “Most imprints are soul mates. Your souls recognize each other, but you are your own person. _Te-atée_ imprints are rare, so very rare. In all of recorded history, it has happened three times. It must be a struggle for you to be apart and to be so close, unable to complete the mating bond.”

“It does pose its challenges,” Bella said. “I want nothing more than to complete the bond. But his being human…the Council of Elders…Caius and Aro will never allow it.”

“Nirabelle, you can overrule the council,” Marcusi murmured.

“Be that as it may, I want their blessing,” Bella sniffled. “I have no family left. My mother died with the birth of Charanel, my father was killed in the war. Norex and his mate barely tolerate me only because I’m the empress and I’m their meal ticket. You and your brothers are almost like my family.” My arms tightened around Bella’s tiny, shaking body. Her fingers threaded with mine. “I need your help, Marcusi. We followed protocols. I did not have any sort of conversation with Edward until Jakob made me hail them from the surface. Once I saw his face, my heart fluttered and I knew.”

“You can converse telepathically?” Marcusi asked. We both nodded. “I can see your spots are glowing and you can calm while you are touching?”

“Yes,” Bella said. “I can also sense Edward’s emotions. I don’t know if he can with me…”

“I’m feeling all sorts of, um, weird,” I chuckled. “Not in a bad way, but I don’t know really. The only thing I know for sure is that it pains me to even think of not being with her and that the love I feel is all-encompassing.”

“Are you on your way back to Forx?” Marcusi questioned.

“According to my helmsman, we’ve got six days of traveling at high speeds to make it back,” I said, checking my tablet. “We do have, however, an unwelcomed guest about four light years behind us.”

“One of the Alphan’s cloaked vessels is following us?” Bella asked.

“Yes. Counselor, I’m transmitting all that happened yesterday. It’s the same report that I transmitted to the Federation. We were attacked and fired upon, an act of war,” I said, sending the file to Marcusi. Over the comm link, his computer beeped. “Do you have it?”

“Yes, Captain. I will read this and discuss all of this with my brothers. In regards to this cloaked vessel, you can detect it?”

“It’s only a theory at the moment, sir,” I said. “We’re trying to find a way to counteract the cloak, but that’s also another theory. If it is following us…you may want prepare your fleet for when we arrive. We also may have some Federation back up, as well. I have yet to hear from my father, the Admiral that your Emperor was talking with prior to his death.”

Marcusi nodded. “Please keep me apprised to what is happening, Captain. I will discuss all of this with my brothers,” he added. “A connection as strong as yours, you need to complete the mating bond soon.”

“But, what about Caius and Aro?” Bella pressed.

“I’ll deal with them, Empress,” Marcusi smirked. “Once you return, your mating ceremony will happen on the eve of _Hisnari_. I will officiate.”

“Thank you, Marcusi,” Bella cried, her hands flying to her face.

“We need happiness in this dark time and having the mating ceremony of _te-atée_ imprints will be a momentous occasion,” Marcusi smiled, his entire being lighting up in happiness. “Blessings to you both, Empress and Emperor.” Marcusi ended the transmission and I gulped.

“Did he just call me emperor?” I asked, looking at Bella.

**A/N: A lot happened in this. Yep, tons. I just couldn’t find a good place to end it and it kept going and going and going…like the energizer bunny. Now, what do you think will happen with the Alphans, Cygnarians and the Federation? Will Edward get his diplomatic solution or will it result in an even larger war? What do you think Aro and Caius will say when they find out that Nirabelle is mated with a human? What will happen with Edward and Nirabelle when they do mate?**

**Now up next, we’ll get the answer to Edward’s question and arriving back at Forx. We have a mating ceremony to attend and some lemons of the extraterrestrial kind. *snorts* Pictures of the battle cruisers and war birds are on my tumblr and blog. Links for those are on my profile. Below is also the glossary for all of the terms that you heard in this chapter. I’m also going to post it on my Facebook group: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction.**

**Leave me some!**

_B’tak ~ Alphan swear, bitch_

_Pinotte ~ Alphan swear, whore_

_Extap ~ Alphan word, coward_

_Funoch ~ Alphan swear, pussy_

_Oo-out ~ Alphan command, ‘end transmission’_

_Senelle ~ Cygnarian word, a kiss. It begins the mating bond between imprints._

_Chenkak ~ Cygnarian swear, assholes_

_Firatte ~ A carnivore with six legs and two rows of razor sharp teeth, the most dangerous animal on the Cygnarian home world. Similar to a lion._

_Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari ~ a Cygnarian phrase: “You are my heart, I am your soul. My love for you is for always.”_

_Necelles ~ on a starship, the necelles are the ‘exhaust pipe.’ They allow the waste of their engines to be reused or expelled into space._

_Omichron particles ~ counter agent for gamma radiation_

_Antimatter ~ the opposite of matter, combining matter and antimatter creates a reaction which allows the_ Volvo _to travel faster than the speed of light or ‘jump speed.’_

_H’Nan ~ A solar system within Cygnarian space, home of a Cygnarian colony_

_Berannes ~ night terrors_


	4. Chapter 4

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Four**

**EPOV**

_“Are you on your way back to Forx?” Marcusi questioned._

_“According to my helmsman, we’ve got six days of traveling at high speeds to make it back,” I said, checking my tablet. “We do have, however, an unwelcomed guest about four light years behind us.”_

_“One of the Alphan’s cloaked vessels is following us?” Bella asked._

_“Yes. Counselor, I’m transmitting all that happened yesterday. It’s the same report that I transmitted to the Federation. We were attacked and fired upon, an act of war,” I said, sending the file to Marcusi. Over the comm link, his computer beeped. “Do you have it?”_

_“Yes, Captain. I will read this and discuss all of this with my brothers. In regards to this cloaked vessel, you can detect it?”_

_“It’s only a theory at the moment, sir,” I said. “We’re trying to find a way to counteract the cloak, but that’s also another theory. If it is following us…you may want prepare your fleet for when we arrive. We also may have some Federation back up, as well. I have yet to hear from my father, the Admiral that your Emperor was talking with prior to his death.”_

_Marcusi nodded. “Please keep me apprised to what is happening, Captain. I will discuss all of this with my brothers,” he added. “A connection as strong as yours, you need to complete the mating bond soon.”_

_“But, what about Caius and Aro?” Bella pressed._

_“I’ll deal with them, Empress,” Marcusi smirked. “Once you return, your mating ceremony will happen on the eve of Hisnari. I will officiate.”_

_“Thank you, Marcusi,” Bella cried, her hands flying to her face._

_“We need happiness in this dark time and having the mating ceremony of te-atée imprints will be a momentous occasion,” Marcusi smiled, his entire being lighting up in happiness. “Blessings to you both, Empress and Emperor.” Marcusi ended the transmission and I gulped._

_“Did he just call me emperor?” I asked, looking at Bella._

**BPOV**

I took Edward’s hands, trying to calm him. He was almost trembling and his mind was filled with confusion. “Edward, _ti’ane_ , breathe,” I said, caressing his hands. He looked at me, still very lost. I took his face in my hands, pushing my thoughts into his. _If you are my imprint, my mate, my_ ti’ane, _my_ te’atée _, you are now the emperor of Forx. I know that you are upset, but please…_

“I’m a captain of the _Volvo_ ,” he whispered. “How can I be a Galaxy Fleet captain and the emperor of Forx?”

“We will discuss it later,” I said, my hands moving through his soft, silken hair. Slowly, I moved my fingers from his hair and down his smooth cheeks. His pink lips were calling for me, but we couldn’t. Tenderly, I traced his mouth before nuzzling his cheek. His arms enfolded me in an embrace. _Are you alright, Edward?_

“I’m fine. It’s just that…everything is changing rapidly and I’m unaccustomed to such changes,” he explained, his voice tremulous. However, he stopped shaking. His lips pressed to my forehead and he cupped my chin. “I’ll be okay. I need to get to the bridge. I want to help Victoria and Jasper with that cloaked ship. Do you want me to escort you to sickbay?”

“No, I need to stay here, work on my own report of what happened yesterday,” I said. “Dr. Halé said I can’t see her until this afternoon.”

“Okay, love,” Edward said, caressing my lips. “If you need me, ping me in my brain.”

I giggled, picking up his hand and kissing his palm. “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” I murmured.

“I love you more than my own life,” Edward whispered back, kissing my cheek, just inches from my mouth. “Be safe.” I got up from his lap and he left my quarters.

Turning in the chair, I quickly pulled up the communications array. I called Marcusi back. His face filled the screen. “Is everything okay, Empress?”

“Why did you call Edward ‘Emperor’?” I asked. “He’s panicking and dwelling on it. His job is on this ship, not ruling a planet.”

“Empress, you know as well as I do, that your mate cannot be away from you. What hope is there for you if you separate?” Marcusi asked. “Either you will have to abdicate the throne to be with him and your brother will become the next emperor or your Edward will have to resign from Galaxy Fleet.”

“Marcusi, Edward is pushing for us to be admitted into the Federation. We will be a part of a larger unit. There will be no Emperor and Empress, only delegates to their Federation Council,” I said.

“There will always be rulers. I’ve done my research. Most of the worlds in the Federation maintain their own governments, abiding by the Federation laws, which we already do. Our beliefs are along the lines of the Federation. Your father said that it was the war with the Alphans that was denying our admittance. However, based on what I read of the captain’s report, he’s pushing for you to be allowed in so Forx and the Cygnarian people can be protected,” Marcusi explained.

“Including our colonies? Our outposts?” I asked.

“Yes, Empress,” Marcusi said. “From what I understand, we’re just waiting to hear back from the Federation Council.”

“Alright,” I sighed, feeling exhausted. “I’m assuming you haven’t heard from anyone from the Federation?”

“No, but I assume that we will shortly. This is a brilliant report,” Marcusi explained. “Captain Cullen is quite the advocate to have on our side.” I nodded, smiling softly. “Rest, Empress. It’s been a trying few days. I will contact you if there are any complications.”

“Yes, Marcusi,” I said. “Can you send my love to Charanel? I know that he does not understand why I’m gone.”

“I will. Blessings to you,” Marcusi said, bowing his head reverently. I returned the gesture, ending the transmission. My eyes were drooping and I needed sleep. Removing my dress, I put on my leggings and tunic, climbing into the bed in my quarters. Curling up, I focused on Edward’s green eyes and quickly fell into a deep slumber.

When I woke up three cycles later, I used the sonic shower and dressed in a comfortable but still stylish sheath dress with long sheer sleeves. All of my clothes are varying shades of blue, the royal color on Forx. I’m grateful that I love the color, but my father and mother hated it. Keeping things simple, I wore just my ring and my communicator on my clothes. I gathered some of Maralice’s clothes, going to sickbay. She should be out of surgery now.

Remembering the path that Victoria showed me, I managed to get to sickbay. I got turned around once, but one of the older men of the crew directed me in the correct way, also showing me how to pull up a map on the computer. I thanked him and he smiled kindly. Arriving at the infirmary, I walked first to Dr. Halé’s office. She was writing something on her tablet. She looked up immediately, smiling softly. “Empress, come in.”

“How is Maralice?” I asked, sitting down across from Dr. Halé.

“Her wounds are healed and she’s resting comfortably,” she explained. “Well, not comfortably. I still feel a great deal of shame and sadness around her.”

“I don’t know how much of my people you know, but we are mated to one person and our bodies are for our mates only,” I said. “Maralice’s mate, Jamel, was killed in the war and she has been alone ever since.”

“So, she’ll never remarry?” Dr. Halé asked.

“No and in her mind, she has shamed her family and the family of her imprint,” I explained. “I know it was against her will and I believe she is a strong female. In her heart, she will need much healing.”

“The only time she wasn’t upset was when Commander Whitlock came to check on her,” she murmured. “Her spots glowed slightly.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but once he was gone, the guilt and shame came back tenfold,” she frowned.

“Perhaps Maralice is connected with Commander Whitlock? I am hesitant to say that he’s her mate, but they obviously share something,” I shrugged.

“Is Captain Cullen your mate?” Dr. Halé questioned.

“Yes and according to one of my people, our bond is very rare,” I smiled softly. “You were married to him?”

“Yeah. It was a spur of the moment decision that was brought on by our physical attraction and lust for each other. Don’t get me wrong, I love Edward. Like a brother,” she laughed. “Well, now, like a brother. When we were married, it was all sex and arguing.”

“Sex?” I asked, arching a brow.

“Um, making love, bonding physically, mating?” she responded, her nose wrinkled.

“Right,” I blushed.

“This isn’t weird that I was married to him, right?”

“Marriage is not what we use to describe our unions. It’s much deeper than that. A marriage, as you have seen and experienced, can be broken. With our imprints, our mates, most Cygnarians share a soul and it’s that connection that bonds them together. It’s what allows to feel what they feel, hear their minds as we can be inside of theirs. Touch and time strengthens the bonds and mates physically cannot be without the other,” I said, smiling softly.

“What happens when a mate dies?” Dr. Halé pressed.

“There is a time of great mourning. Maralice’s mate died nearly a decade ago. She is only now allowed to go out among people. Since she was such a high-ranking member of my staff, she was able to interact with me and the Cygnarians who lived in the royal palace. She couldn’t have gone on this mission a year ago, though. I’m grateful she’s here. I couldn’t have gotten this far without her,” I sighed. “She helped me with the death of my mother, filling her shoes at times when my father was unable.”

“But, she didn’t die despite her mate dying?”

“No. However, that might be different for Edward and myself. Like I said, our bond is very rare. Our connection is very strong, even without fully completing the mating ceremony,” I described.

“And his being married doesn’t affect that?”

“Ideally, I’d prefer my mate to be…” I trailed off.

“A virgin?” she giggled.

“What’s that?” I asked. “I’ve never heard that word.”

“Never had sex,” she explained.

“Yes, but my heart knows what it wants and it wants Edward. Only Edward,” I smiled softly, pressing my hand above my breast.

Dr. Halé’s communicator chirped. “Cullen to Halé,” came the voice of my _ti’ane._

“I’m here, Captain,” she replied.

“I need you and the Empress to come to my conference room. We’ve received word from the Federation Council,” Edward said, his voice deep and resonant, warming my soul.

“How did you know that the Empress was here?” Dr. Halé asked.

“I felt her there. I knew she was talking to you,” he chuckled. “Gossiping, ladies?”

“I was telling her how you never get your socks in the hamper,” Dr. Halé smirked. “He’s notorious for leaving dirty laundry everywhere.”

“ROSALIE!” Edward boomed. “Stop it. I’m still your commanding officer. Don’t make me confine you to quarters.”

“Promises, promises,” Rosalie giggled. “We’ll be in the conference room after we check on Envoy Maralice. Give us about ten minutes, sir.” She tapped her communicator and got up from her desk. “We’re keeping Maralice sedated for now. She should be able to go back to your quarters tomorrow. I would like to speak with her, begin her therapy to help her emotional healing.”

“I don’t know if she would want to discuss such private matters with someone who is not family,” I frowned. “It will be up to her, of course, but I’m pretty certain she will decline your suggestion for therapy.” We walked into the treatment area. My friend was laying on the hospital table. Her bruising was now gone and she was resting. I brushed her hair back, murmuring well wishes in her ear in Cygnarian. She smiled softly.

“She’s calmed by your presence, Empress,” Rosalie said.

“Maralice has been there for me and now it’s my turn,” I said, kissing her forehead. “Thank you for taking such good care of her.”

“It’s my job as a doctor to care for her. I would be remiss if I let her suffer,” she murmured. “No woman should have her choice taken away.”

“You sound like you know?” I questioned.

“No, but my sister, Irina, did. She was attacked on Solari while she was visiting our mother. Solarians are a gentle people, but when our minds are in jumbles, like the men who attacked Irina, they are extremely violent,” Rosalie said. “It became too much for her, recovering from the attack and she took her own life.”

“I’m so sorry,” I cried.

“The men were more brutal with my sister than those Alphans were Maralice. My sister lost the ability to carry a child and she lost a part of herself. She never recovered that part and she went mad, throwing herself from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle,” Rosalie sniffled. “In a way, she was better off. What woke up from the attack was not my sister. It was a shell of the spunky woman I knew. So, I know…I know, Maralice.” Rosalie took Maralice’s hand, squeezing it. She closed her golden eyes, a few tears falling onto her cheeks and then she looked at me. Wiping her face, she said, “Let’s go before Captain Cullen sends the cavalry.”

I nodded, kissing Maralice’s forehead again. I left her clothes on the edge of the hospital table, following Rosalie, Dr. Halé, to the turbolift. “Do you know if the Federation Council has good news or bad news?” she asked.

“I do not know. As much as I love hearing Edward’s mental voice, I do not want to invade his privacy. I can sense that he’s not as stressed, but he was worried when he left my quarters this morning,” I said, not giving too much away. “Other than that, I suppose we’ll find out at this meeting.”

“Will you two be okay in the same room and not send off huge lusty vibes?” Rosalie quipped.

“I cannot help what my body wants,” I smirked. “But, I will try.”

“The Empress is a smart ass. I like it,” Rosalie laughed.

“Please, call me Bella. Like I told Victoria, I’m not an empress on this vessel. Just a passenger,” I said.

“Well, by all means call me Rose. You are, after all, marrying my ex-husband,” she snorted, guiding me into turbolift.

“Mating, bonding…not marrying,” I replied, giving her a crooked smile. “And it’s not official yet. We have to meet with the Council of Elders to approve the ceremony. We have the blessing of Counselor Marcusi, but Counselors Caius and Aro will be a harder sell.”

“Once they see how you look at each other, the love emanating from you, they will have to approve,” Rose said.

“The problem is that we do not mate with people off world. The only person I know who had a mate that was from another planet was Marcusi’s mate’s mother. She was a human, but Cygnarian genetics are much more dominant than humans. You can’t even tell,” I shrugged. “I don’t know. With my status as the empress, it will be…tough.”

“I get that these council elders may have an issue, but you’re the empress. You’re the boss,” Rose said, arching a brow.

“Many believe that I’m too young and inexperienced, namely my uncle, my father’s brother, Norex. In his eyes, he should have been named emperor,” I snorted derisively. “Or my brother should have been, despite his mental handicap.”

“So, Norex is a misogynistic pig who believes that women should be barefoot and pregnant?” Rose asked, anger coloring her tone.

“Yes, I guess. I mean, he has twelve children. His wife, Lianette, is always with child when I see her,” I frowned. “He dominates her. Snuffs out her personality.”

“Yep, a total pig,” Rose growled. “Are all men on Forx like that?”

“No, they aren’t. Men and women have equal opportunities. Norex is just… a _yanhesh_ ,” I spat.

“A what?” Rose asked as we arrived at the conference room.

“Someone so stupid that the dirt has more intelligence,” I giggled. “Goodness that was rude.”

“No, it wasn’t. It was funny,” Rose said, pressing the button to open the door. We walked inside and saw most of the chairs were filled. I did not recognize everyone and I felt somewhat out of sorts. Edward smiled crookedly, holding out his hand. I rushed over to him, taking his hand in mine, threading our fingers together.

 _I’ve missed you,_ Edward thought to me, smiling softly. “Let me introduce you to my crew. You know Commander Victoria Braxas and Dr. Rosalie Halé.” He gestured to two faces I knew the best other than Edward. I nodded. “This is my first officer, Commander Jasper Whitlock.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Commander,” I said quietly.

“You as well, Empress. And I want to apologize for my brusque behavior on the bridge regarding the cloaked vessel. Tensions were a bit high and I took out my frustrations on you,” Commander Whitlock said quietly. “I never intended any disrespect.”

“Yesterday was a mess, Commander. Apology accepted,” I said graciously. Glancing at Edward, I arched a brow. _Did you make him apologize?_

 _Yes. He was an asshole. He tends to speak before he thinks. However, that was the most genuine apology I’d ever heard from him. I’m shocked, really,_ Edward chuckled. “Sitting next to Rosalie is our chief engineer, Lieutenant Emmett Morgainne and across from him is our helmsman, Lieutenant Riley Biers. On the screen, is my father and commanding officer, Admiral Carlisle Cullen.”

“Oh,” I squeaked. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Admiral. My father spoke very highly of you.” I gave him the gesture of greeting.

“As did yours,” Admiral Cullen smiled.

“Now, that we’re all here, let’s get started,” Edward said, helping me in the chair next to him. He kept our hands linked as we turned to face the view screen. “What’s the news?”

“I have excellent news. The Federation Council has approved your admittance into the Federation, Empress,” Admiral Cullen said. “As we speak, I’m on the flag ship, _Excelsior,_ to meet you at the Cygnari home world. And Edward, your mother and sister are on board as well. So is the Federation president, Eleazar M’Tak.”

“Good,” Edward grinned, squeezing my fingers. “When will you arrive?”

“We’ve got about a week left on our journey. The _Excelsior’s_ maximum speed is jump factor ten which is much faster than the _Volvo’s_. We should arrive at Forx a couple days after you,” Admiral Cullen explained.

“What will happen once we’re admitted to the Federation?” I asked.

“You need to choose delegates to serve on the Federation Council. Each planet has three delegates,” Admiral Cullen said, pressing a button. “Edward has received all that is entailed in membership. In addition to a delegation, you also receive Federation protection and your people can apply and join Galaxy Fleet.” Edward handed me the tablet with the information. I beamed in appreciation. “Now, onto more pressing matters. Do you still have that tail?”

“Last I checked, the gamma particles were not behind us. They may have turned back. Again, this is all supposition, Admiral,” Victoria explained. “We don’t know if the gamma radiation was a natural occurrence or if it was truly the cloaked ship. We never got an opportunity to test our theory.”

“Empress, do you know, can the Alphans fire their weapons while cloaked?” Admiral asked me.

“No, sir. They have to lower their cloak in order to fire, but they have it down to a science. By the time they have lowered their cloak and fired their weapons, the ship is gone. It’s how my father was killed. One of those ships attacked his cruiser,” I murmured, trying to keep my emotions at bay. Edward raised our hands, kissing my knuckles.

“If I may, Admiral,” Commander Whitlock chimed in. “I think I have a theory about the cloaked ships. Obviously, it’s new technology. They are relying on the cloak and dagger, literally and figuratively.” He pressed a few buttons and an outline of the Alphan war bird appeared on one of the screens. “The ship doesn’t disappear. It’s still there, right? It’s only hidden under some form of shielding, masking it to look like the surrounding stars and space. My theory is that the shielding is just a way of hiding it. Not protecting it.”

“So, if we could find the ship, we can fire on it and it’s not shielded at all?” Lt. Morgainne asked.

“Exactly,” Commander Whitlock nodded. “Ideally, we’d have to concentrate our fire on where the cloak is located to disable it. Possibly, the cloak is linked to their shield emitters? I don’t know. Like I said, this is just a theory. All of this is just a theory. I’d kill to get inside one of those vessels and see how this thing works. We could use those in our ships.”

“No, we can’t,” Admiral Cullen said harshly. “That type of technology goes against everything the Federation believes in. We want to harness peace, not bring fear because we are hidden. Yes, the cloak is an interesting concept, but one that we will never use.” He glared at Commander Whitlock, who scowled deeply. “The rest of you are dismissed. I need to speak to Captain Cullen and Empress Nirabelle.”

Everyone got up and left the conference room. Edward tugged on my hand, pulling me from my seat and settling me into his lap. His nose was buried in my hair and I just melted against his chest. We forgot that his father was still on the view screen, watching our interaction. He cleared his throat. I jumped, blushing brightly. “Sorry, Admiral,” Edward said gruffly. “It’s just…we hadn’t seen each other in a few hours and I had to touch her, feel her.”

I looked at the Admiral and he was smirking slightly. “It’s okay, Edward. I’m not talking to you as your commanding officer. I’m talking to you and your, um, what is that you call each other?” he asked.

“My imprint,” I said, pressing my hand to Edward’s prickly cheek. “In English, I guess I would be his betrothed?”

“Fiancée,” Edward corrected. “Betrothed is an older word.” He kissed my palm, his green eyes darkening. I leaned forward. _Bella, we can’t. Remember?_

 _Oops,_ I giggled mentally.

“I should be reprimanding you for disobeying orders. I should throw you into the brig,” Admiral Cullen said sternly, but his face broke into a beaming grin. “I can’t though. I may not be able to see connections or bonds like Counselor Marcusi, but I do see two people in love.”

“Our souls, after being separated for so long, have finally reunited,” I said, looking at Admiral Cullen. “What we have is very rare, Admiral.”

“Please, call me Carlisle. If you and my son are going to be married or mated or whatever it is you do, the formalities need disappear,” he laughed. I looked at Edward, seeing so much of his father in him. “How is it rare?”

“We are, as Counselor Marcusi explained it, _te’atée_ mates. Most couples on my planet are mates, soul mates. Meaning their souls are connected. The difference is that our soul is one. It is why we have to touch after being a part. It is why we have to pray that the Council of Elders will approve our mating and soon. We need to complete the bond or both of us will die,” I explained. “Edward being human complicates things. However, _te’atée_ mates only have been recorded in our history three times, including ours.”

“Can you hold off on the ceremony until the _Excelsior_ arrives?” Carlisle asked. “I’m certain your mother and sister would love to see it. They missed your first wedding.” He gave Edward a wry look.

“Is that possible?” Edward questioned, his fingers running through my ringlets.

“Of course it is, _ti’ane_ ,” I cooed. “I would want your family there. I’m glad they are coming…” My breath hitched, realizing that my own family, my parents would not see our mating ceremony. Tears welled in my eyes.

“Dad, we’ll see you on Forx, alright?” Edward said gruffly.

“Understood. Admiral Cullen out,” he barked and the screen went blank.

 _You’re missing your parents, aren’t you?_ Edward asked quietly in my mind. I nodded, unable to speak mentally or verbally. _They loved you, Bella. Your parents aren’t with you, but they must know that you are happy and mated._

“They sent you to me, I think,” I said, a few rogue tears falling down my cheeks. “My father knew that my imprint had to be a strong, amazing man and he handpicked you from everyone from the galaxy. I’m just sad that they won’t see it.” Edward frowned for me, his mind saying that he loved me while he nuzzled my cheek. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I allowed myself to be comforted by my mate and despite my sadness, I felt at peace.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The rest of the journey back to Forx was quiet. Maralice was released from sickbay two days after her attack. She stayed in her quarters, upset and filled with guilt. I missed my friend, but I knew that she needed to cleanse herself of what had happened. She was happy that Edward and I recognized each other as imprints, but her happiness was short-lived. Upon speaking to Rose, she said that her guilt and shame were bone-crushing. I felt for my friend. I wanted to take her shame away, but only she could do that.

We arrived back at Forx, stopped by a large fleet once we entered Cygnarian solar system. The fleet commander recognized our ship and let us go through. Edward said for them to look out for gamma radiation, sending them information about the cloaked vessel and how to configure their sensors to read for the particles. By the time we were in orbit of my home, Maralice was dressed and ready to do her job. However, the light in her eyes had dimmed significantly. I didn’t need to be empathic to know that she was incredibly sad.

We were transporting down to the Imperial Palace, which was where I lived. I would have preferred to stay at the home in the country that I shared with my father and brother, but I was the Empress and I needed to maintain appearances. My uncle, Norex, and his brood lived there as well. Walking to the transporter room, I stood next to Edward, holding his hand. I was terrified of what was waiting for me, but happy to see my brother. I had missed him.

“Whatever happens, Bella, we’ll get through it together,” Edward murmured as the crewman set the coordinates. “Energize.”

I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I was in the throne room of the palace. Norex and my brother were waiting for us. “Nirabelle,” exclaimed my brother as he ran to me. He nearly tackled me. “I missed you, Nirabelle!” I sobbed quietly into his shoulder, gripping my brother’s shirt. My brother didn’t understand why I had to leave or the ramifications of my departure. “It’s almost _Hisnari_ , Nirabelle. Did you get me a present?”

“Not yet, Charanel,” I said, taking his face in my hands. “I will, though. I promise. I did order your _nari_ cakes.”

“Yay!” Charanel beamed, bouncing on his toes. He turned to the rest of the party that came down with me, Maralice, Rose, Commander Whitlock and Edward. “Who are they? Did they bring me presents?”

“Nirabelle!” barked Norex, glaring at me. “A word?”

I cursed under my breath. “These are my friends, Charanel and you remember Ali, right?”

“Ali!” he said as he ambled over to Maralice. He couldn’t pronounce her name so it was shorted to Ali. They hugged and Maralice took my brother out of the room.

“NIRABELLE!” Norex yelled.

“Excuse me,” I said to everyone, walking over to my uncle. “Yes?”

“You are in presence of a male who is _not_ your family. You are acting like a _xytiria_ ,” Norex snarled. “Have you bonded with those males?”

I growled at him, standing up tall and glaring at him. “The captain of the vessel is my mate. My _te’atée_ mate. Need I remind you that you that I’m your Empress and not some child that you can scold.”

“You are a brat, unworthy of being an empress,” Norex spat. “And you bring shame to your family. Bonding to a human? Your father must be so embarrassed of you. If he could, he would disown you and I would be Emperor.”

I raised my hand, slapping Norex across the face. “Get out before I throw you into a cell,” I seethed. “Your words could be interpreted as treason!”

“ _Shtacknec eiaya!_ ” Norex growled, turning on his heel and stomping out of the throne room.

“He has become problematic, Empress,” Counselor Marcusi said, arching a brow. He glided into the room, extending a hand to Edward. “It’s an honor to speak face-to-face, Captain. Thank you for all of your help with everything you have done with the situation with the Alphans.”

“Have you heard anything from Jakob?” I asked.

“Not directed toward the council, but that have been mumblings that he’s mounting an attack. Our newly formed alliance with the Federation can’t come at a better time,” Counselor Marcusi breathed. “Admiral Cullen and President M’Tak are near, about a day’s journey behind you. Also, any of your crew are welcome to come down to the surface. I can only imagine how stifling it must be on a starship.”

“My crew would greatly appreciate any shore leave,” Edward smiled. “We were actually diverted from shore leave to come to this mission. I’ll let my crew know. Any place in particular?”

“We have a lovely resort on an island off the southern continent. I’ve informed them of your arrival and they’ve arranged for accommodations for any who wish to stay. Many Cygnarians go there after they are mated to fully bond with their imprints. However, with the upcoming holiday, _Hisnari_ , their rooms are empty. It is called _Lisila Te’une_. Here are the coordinates for your transporter and the name of the owner of the resort.” Edward took the small tablet from Counselor Marcusi, transmitting the information up to the _Volvo_. “I have arranged for quarters for all of you here at the palace, if you so choose to stay down here.”

“I think that most of everyone will remain on the ship,” Edward said. “We just wanted to make sure that the Empress made it down to the surface without any incident.” His voice hardened toward the end, glaring at where Norex stomped off to. _He…he is awful, Bella. He’s your father’s brother? He has no loyalty!_ “I will remain on the surface with the Empress and to greet the Admiral and Federation President.”

“That’s wonderful!” Counselor Marcusi beamed. “You’ll stay in the Emperor’s suite, Captain.”

“Ooookay,” Edward said uncertainly.

“Counselor, do you have a palace physician?” Rose asked. “I’d like to discuss what happened to Maralice with them.”

“Yes, of course. Empress, why don’t you show Captain Cullen his accommodations while I help…” Counselor Marcusi trailed off.

“Dr. Rosalie Halé,” Rose replied, smiling genuinely.

“Dr. Halé with the physician,” Counselor Marcusi finished.

“I’d like to say goodbye to the Envoy,” Commander Whitlock said, bowing slightly.

“It’s on the way,” Counselor Marcusi smiled, leading the rest of our group out of the throne room.

After they left, my rigid regal posture deflated. I sighed, happy to be home but on edge that the _carrane_ in the room has yet to be addressed. “Come, _ti’ane_ , let me show you where you will be staying,” I said, taking Edward’s hand. “It was my father’s old apartment in the palace.”

“Did your parents not sleep together?” he asked.

“They did, but my mother stayed in our country home with me while father attended to things in the capital,” I explained. “When they were here, they stayed in this apartment while I stayed in my current quarters, which has since been converted into the empress suite.”

“What about your brother? Did he have special accommodations?” Edward asked as we walked down a long hallway to his quarters.

“He usually stayed with a nanny or me. Charanel, he cannot fend for himself. He has the mind of a child,” I said sadly. “I love him dearly, but he will always need to rely on others to care for him. Maralice is the closest thing to a mother my brother ever had.”

“He calls her Ali,” Edward chuckled.

“He cannot say her name,” I murmured. We arrived at his quarters. “Or at least, he couldn’t when he was younger. He shortened it to Ali and it stuck.” I walked to a computer console. “Come, we need to allow our computers to recognize you. Place your hand there,” I instructed. Edward did so and I typed on the console, entering information about our new ‘emperor.’ The screen beneath his hand glowed as it scanned his palm. “Now, place your chin here and look into this. The computer needs to do a retinal scan.” Edward nodded, standing still as the computer finished up the identification process. He stepped back and I pressed the activate code. “Now, use your hand to open the door. I want to make sure it works.”

Edward placed his hand on the palm reader on the left side of the door. It scanned his hand and the doors opened. Walking into the modern and beautifully decorated room, he gasped. The floor to ceiling windows displayed the _Renien Ocean_ and the setting sun. To the left, there was an open fireplace and a stone wall. Next to the fireplace were four white chairs set up around a small table. My father’s game of _zegge_ was still set up. The floors were a soft, gray stone that coordinated with the wall that housed the fireplace. On the right, there was a brown leather sofa that overlooked a large view screen and connected to our database. “If there is anything that you want changed, please let me know and we will make arrangements,” I said quietly.

“No, it’s lovely,” Edward said, giving me a reassuring smile. I tried to return it but it was hard. Edward’s smile fell away. _Is this the first time you’ve been in here since your father died?_ I nodded. “Bella, I can stay somewhere else. Hell, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“I’m fine,” I said, reaching up to caress his face. “There’s just so much of him in this room that it hit me all of a sudden.”

“I felt it, Bella,” he murmured, covering my hand with his.

“I used to play with my dolls by those chairs. We used to talk about our people, debating on what they needed on that couch. He taught me how to be diplomatic and fair, but not to lose my focus or my temper. I was, unfortunately, not successful with losing my temper with Norex,” I blushed.

“He deserved to be slapped. You could never be an embarrassment,” Edward soothed. “I wanted to take my phaser and stun him, the jackass. What did he call you?”

“He called me a whore, a loose woman who would be with anyone for the right price,” I sneered.

“And you are not that,” Edward growled, taking my face in his hands. “You are beautiful, kind and…” He moved closer. His mouth was so close. He snarled, kissing my forehead before stalking away to the windows. “I’m sorry, Bella. I just need to…”

“Mate,” I blushed, my spots glowing brightly. “I know. The pull towards each other is growing and it needs to happen soon. Let me show you the bedroom.”

“I think I can find that myself. If I get you in a bedroom, I will lose all control and…” He finished his thoughts in my mind, showing him pressing me up against the wall and kissing me deeply. I whimpered, bracing myself against the doorway.

“I think I’ll go,” I said. Edward gave me a pained look, nodding slowly. I whispered my love for him and he responded in kind. His Cygnarian was improving daily. It didn’t sound so clunky in his voice. Turning, I left his suite and darted back to my own quarters, which were on the other side of the throne room. My father’s quarters were sleek and elegant. Mine were much more feminine. I collapsed on the couch in my quarters, closing my eyes. I prayed that the Council of Elders will allow our mating. I was so very close to initiating the bonding process. I needed him. He needed me. We needed each other.

I locked my doors and decided to treat myself to a nice long bubble bath. The sonic showers may have cleaned my body, but nothing is as soothing as soaking in a warm tub, filled with fragrant bubbles. I stripped out of my gown and wrapped a light blue satin robe around my naked body. Pulling various bottles from my closet, I walked to fill the bathtub with essence of _veranne_ , _tika_ petals and _lysa_ oils. I inhaled deeply as the three scents combined. I twisted up my hair, shrugging out of my robe.

I spent a great deal of time looking at my body. Would Edward be pleased with me? Would he like what he saw? I was attractive for a Cygnarian. My hair was long and thick, naturally curly and a deep mahogany color with iridescent highlights, befitting royalty. My skin was pale with a subtle pearlescent sheen along with my spots along the length of my body. They were a medium brown, but glowed a bright blue when I was near my mate. My eyes, also blue, glowed brightly. Running my hands down my spots, I came to my breasts. I frowned at these. They were small, just like my mother. Like all Cygnarians. I remembered Rose and she had larger breasts. At one point, Edward had been with her. Would he want breasts like hers? I palmed them, wishing they were slightly bigger, but shook it off. Moving my hands down my stomach, I looked lower. As far as I knew, humans and Cygnarians were compatible. Proof was Didyme. Would he be able to mate with me? Just below my navel, I had a small tuft of brown curls that covered my womanhood. I would not be able to bear children for another year or so, due to the medication my physician gave me to regulate my cycle. With all that happened, I needed to rule, not be in a mania because of my mating cycle.

“He loves you, Nirabelle,” I murmured. “He will love all of you,” I said, caressing my collarbones. Shaking my head, I grabbed a towel and slipped into the warm water. The feeling of the water wrapped around me like an embrace. I sighed contentedly, wishing Edward was with me.

I stayed in the bathtub for over an hour. It wasn’t until I heard the chime from the door that I knew I had to pull myself away. I dried myself off, putting on my robe and walking to the entryway. I touched the screen. “Yes?”

“Empress,” came the voice of one of the many workers. “You’ve been summoned by the Council of Elders. Please meet them in an hour in the Council Chamber.”

“Thank you,” I said. I padded back to my bathroom, emptying the tub and making quick work of applying my makeup and finery of the empress. I dressed in a simple blue sheath that clung to my body. I wore my ring and _ioti_ stone circlet. Putting on my shoes, I dabbed some _lysa_ on my pulse points and left my apartment. Edward was waiting in the throne room. He was still in his uniform, looking handsome and very powerful. He exuded control and strength. “Edward,” I smiled.

“Bella,” he breathed. “I’m sorry about before…”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I understand. It’s like I’m dangling a _nari_ cake in front of your nose and asking you to not eat it.”

“The sweetest torture,” he chuckled, threading my fingers with his. “Let’s find out our fate, Empress.” I nodded, leading him to the Council Chamber. Arriving at the Chamber, I ran my hand through the scanner and we walked inside. Standing on our left was Maralice. On our right, Norex was glowering at me. Counselors Marcus, Aro and Caius were sitting on the dais, their faces impassive.

“Welcome back, Empress Nirabelle,” Aro said, giving me the standard greeting. “I’m glad that you have returned unharmed.”

“It’s good to be home, Counselor Aro,” I replied, returning his greeting. “I’m sorry that I could not negotiate a peace between the Alphans and Cygnarians. Crown Prince Jakob was…”

“I’ve read your report,” Aro stated curtly. “I’ve also read Captain Cullen’s report. He believes you are mated?”

“He doesn’t believe. We know,” I answered. “Ask Counselor Marcusi. He can attest to the strength of our bond.”

“Treasonous _xytiria,_ ” Norex mumbled under his breath. I shot him a look.

“Norex, you are here to represent your family. Keep your mutterings to yourself,” Marcusi growled.

“It’s the truth, Counselor. Look how she clings to him,” Norex snarled. “She may as well be _shtacknec_ him on the council floor. She brings shame to my family. She should abdicate the throne!”

“ENOUGH!” Aro yelled, slamming down his marble stone on the table. “Your close-mindedness will be our downfall, Norex. Let her speak. You will have your turn.” Aro turned back to me. “So, you are imprinted to this human. Describe your feelings. What are you experiencing?”

“When Jakob made me hail the _Volvo_ , my heart began to fly. I knew the moment I saw him, but I had been experiencing moments the mating bond even before we met. I knew it was strong, the mating bond, because I was able to communicate with him telepathically through the comm link. It was through that telepathic connection that we were able to get out of the situation with Jakob with my life and the life of Envoy Maralice intact.”

“Maralice may argue with that,” Norex grumbled.

“Envoy Maralice will share her side of the story after the Empress,” Aro said, arching a brow at Norex. “One more outburst and you will be escorted out of the room, Norex. Control yourself.”

“Through the telepathic link, Captain Cullen was able to transport me off the surface of the Alphan home world, Lapus. They couldn’t find Envoy Maralice at first, since we had been separated, but they did manage to get her, using a skeletal lock. Once I was close enough to Edward, I touched him and I knew, without a doubt, that he was my mate. I felt complete, whole, protected, loved, safe…I am his and he is mine.”

“Captain, do you agree with what Empress Nirabelle described?” Aro asked.

“Yes, sir,” Edward answered, nodding. “Obviously, I’m feeling something different, but I have this yearning to protect her, to make her happy, to love her. When we’re apart, I feel lost and bereft. I need to touch her skin to know she’s real or I’d go mad.”

“You have not _senellé_ , correct?” Caius questioned.

“Not our mouths. We’ve kissed our hands and our forehead, but our lips have not touched,” I said, moving closer to Edward. “We know that begins the mating bond and I want us to be bonded in the eyes of my people, my family, Edward’s family.”

“Envoy Maralice, how are you doing?” Marcusi asked.

“I’m getting stronger every day. Seeing Charanel has brought me some peace,” Maralice said, nodding her head. “Dr. Halé and our palace physician, Kunnan, have prescribed some sedatives and medications to help with my ordeal.”

“Now, do you believe that Empress Nirabelle and Captain Cullen are imprinted?” Aro questioned.

“Yes. Even before they met, she was experiencing glowing spots and a sense of excitement,” Maralice explained. “When I saw them after I was released from sickbay, I knew that they were imprinted. The look he gives her and how they communicate with each other. It’s obvious and their bond is quite strong. I don’t know how they are feeling now, but their connection needs to be completed or we will lose them both.”

“I agree,” Marcusi said. “I see their connection and it’s strong, but I can feel the strain. Within a week, they will start to fail and they will be gone a week after that.”

“Good. We need a leader who will not cower at the mere mention of the Alphans,” Norex snorted. “I should have been made Emperor when my brother, Charel, died. Not this sniveling little girl. She can care for her retarded brother while I handle the Alphans.”

“Norex! Enough. If anyone is acting treasonous, it’s you. Nirabelle was crowned the Empress and you did not contest it,” Caius snapped. “If you wanted to challenge her claim to the throne, it should have been done six months ago.”

“I was in mourning for the loss of my brother. I was in no place to contest her claim,” Norex scoffed. “She’s obviously failing as Empress and should abdicate the throne. She is mated to a human. She shames all Cygnarians by publically admitting she is imprinted to someone from another world. Who cares if it’s rare? She is an embarrassment to the throne and I challenge her claim.”

“Challenge denied,” intoned the three council members.

“Norex, Empress Nirabelle has worked with Captain Cullen and we are admitted into the Federation,” Aro explained. Norex scoffed again. “There’s no winning with you. Norex, you are entitled to your opinion, but what your brother wanted was admittance into the Federation and the end to this war. Nirabelle has succeeded in getting us into the Federation. Jakob gave no indication that he wants this war to end. All he wants is the Empress and we are not giving her to him. Especially now…”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I may not have the gift of seeing connections, but I know that if we keep going the way we have been, our world, our culture, will become extinct. Empress Nirabelle, Captain Cullen, we approve of your mating ceremony. The planet needs something great to see in this time of darkness. _Te’atée_ mating ceremony is just that! My brother, Marcusi, will preside over your ceremony and it will happen once the ship from the Federation arrives. By this time, the day after tomorrow, you will be mated and we will have a new emperor and a mated empress.”

Happiness washed over me as I threw my hands around Edward’s neck. He held me tightly, his lips finding my neck and kissing behind my ear. Maralice walked off her podium, offering her congratulations. She hugged me and I asked her to stand as my witness. She nodded, hugging me again. Maralice gave her quiet congratulations to Edward, but did not touch him for her fear of men had reared its ugly head. The trauma the Alphans caused making her feel less than Cygnarian and guilty for what happened to her. Norex had stomped out of the Council Chamber, slamming the door as he exited. I did not care.

Edward was going to be my mate.

I would be his and his alone.

And he would be mine.

**A/N: So, I had planned on getting through the mating ceremony in this chapter. However, it had gotten too long. Next chapter will still be in Bella’s POV for the mating ceremony and some extraterrestrial lemons. I have some pictures for this chapter. They will be on my tumblr and blog, links for those are on my profile. If you can’t find them, go to the search bar and type in ‘Star Crossed’ and only the posts pertaining to this story will pop up.**

**Up next will be the admittance to the Federation, meeting Edward’s family, the mating ceremony and some citrusy goodness. As always, please leave me some lovin…Thanks for reading and I’ll see on the flipside!**

_Ti’ane ~ Cygnarian word, meaning my love_

_Te’atée ~ Cygnarian word, meaning soul_

_Yanhesh ~ Cygnarian insult, someone so stupid that the dirt has more intelligence or fucktard_

_Xytiria ~ Cygnarian curse word, whore_

_Shtacknec eiaya ~ Cygnarian insult, fuck you_

_Lisila Te’une ~ Cygnarian honeymoon resort off the shores of the southern continent, loosely translated, island of my beloved._

_Carrane ~ a large Cygnarian animal, combination of a hippo, rhino and elephant_

_Renien Ocean ~ the body of water that the Imperial Palace overlooks on Forx, largest ocean on the planet_

_Zegge ~ Cygnarian game, akin to chess, but on multiple levels_

_Veranne ~ an herb, smells similar to sandalwood and vanilla_

_Tika ~ flower from which tika liquor is made, tasting similar to rum, looks like a light blue hydrangea flower_

_Lysa ~ citrus smelling oil, used to moisturize the skin and as a body fragrance_

_Senellé ~ verb, kissed_


	5. Chapter 5

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Thank you to the Fic Sisters for their recommendation on their blog and A Different Forest for their recommendation on their site, too! I was so excited when I read it! It made my _week!_**

**Chapter Five**

**BPOV**

“Empress, Envoy Maralice has requested your presence in her quarters. Prince Charanel would like to eat dinner,” said my hand maiden, Jerasse. “Emperor Edward is waiting for you in the throne room.”

“Thank, Jerasse,” I said as I closed my book. We had been on the surface of Forx for a couple of hours. After the good news from the Council of Elders, it was announced that our mating ceremony would be happening in a matter of three days, on the eve of _Hisnari_. Marcusi insisted that Edward and I not spend any extra time with each other, save for meals and required meetings. I was whisked away to have my dress made and Edward met with his own envoy, D’Metri to discuss his staff.

I made sure that I was dressed appropriately. I wore a long, navy blue sleeveless dress. It was form fitting on the bodice and flowed away from my hips. Picking up my ring from the table, I slid it on my finger and walked out of my suite. Gliding into the throne room, I saw that Edward had changed from his Galaxy Fleet uniform. The royal tailors had dressed him in a pair of dove grey trousers with a blue shirt and lighter blue jacket. On his jacket was his communicator from the _Volvo_ and his phaser was still strapped to his hip. For a moment, he looked like my father. The only thing that was missing was the circlet around his head and his _ioti_ stone ring on his finger. Edward turned to me, gasping when he saw me. He reached inside of his jacket and produced a _kinka_ flower. The petals were an iridescent purple, shimmering in the dwindling sun.

“Each time I see you, you grow more beautiful,” he murmured, handing me the flower. My face flamed and my spots glowed deeply. His lips pressed to my neck, inhaling my scent. “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari_.”

“I cannot wait to say that in front of my people,” I said, kissing his palm. “Our people.” Edward grinned crookedly and offered me his arm. I took it eagerly, leading him to the royal dining room where we would share our meal with Maralice, Charanel, Marcusi and Didyme. “Have you thought about you will do in regards to Galaxy Fleet?”

“I will remain in command of the _Volvo_ until this situation is resolved with the Alphans,” Edward said as we walked along the marble corridors of the palace. “After that, we will have to decide together what the next step is. I’m hesitant to say that I can give it up. It’s all I’ve known, Bella. It’s what I’ve lived for. My place is by your side, but the stars…”

“They call to you?” I asked.

“Yes,” he responded. “I will do my job, whatever that may be. I just want the ability to explore the stars and the secrets hidden among them. It was my journey among the stars that led me to you.”

I smiled softly. “If we are to be a part of the Federation, can’t you still command your own vessel, but keep it close to the Cygnarian system?” I asked.

“I don’t know. It’s not something that we have to think about right away,” Edward said. “The mere thought of being away from you, even in another room, it makes me jumpy. I truly don’t know what to think or what to do.”

“We have time, _ti’ane_ ,” I murmured, guiding him into the royal dining room. My brother saw me immediately and he ran to me, giving me a warm hug. “Charanel, I’m so glad to be home, brother.”

“Ali said that you’ve found your imprint,” Charanel said, his voice slurring and garbled. I nodded. “Is this him?”

“Yes, Charanel. Meet Edward,” I said, presenting Edward.

“Ednerd?” Charanel said, his nose wrinkling.

“Why don’t you call me Ed?” Edward said gently, giving my brother his hand.

“Ed?” Charanel repeated. He looked at my mate, his head tilted to the side. Charanel looked back at me, his brows furrowed. “You love my sissy?”

“Very much, Charanel. I would do anything for her. For you, too,” Edward murmured.

“Even give me extra _nari_ cakes?” Charanel asked, his purple eyes twinkling mirthfully. Edward laughed, nodding. And like that, Charanel loved my mate, throwing his arms around Edward. My brother was very large for a Cygnarian, nearly the size of Emmett and dwarfing Edward. He stumbled back, patting Charanel’s shoulder. “Can you play _giju’ri_ with me later?”

“I don’t know _giju’ri_ , Charanel. Perhaps you can show me?” Edward said, smiling warmly at my brother. Tears filled my eyes, knowing that Edward was excepting my brother, despite his handicap, his child-like innocence, trapped in a man’s body. Charanel nodded excitedly, running to the computer to download the rules of the game.

“I’ve never seen Charanel so happy,” Marcusi mused. “He’s bonded with you, Edward, very quickly. He usually shies away from strangers. His bond to you is like that of a father to son.”

“Fascinating,” Edward murmured. He turned to me, seeing my tears. “Bella, please don’t cry.”

“I’m happy,” I said, wrapping my arms around Edward’s waist. “Charanel has just had Norex as a male influence. As you can see, Norex is not the most pleasant fellow and Marcusi is not the type of man to go play _giju’ri_ with my brother.”

“He’d break every bone in my body,” Marcusi chuckled.

“Should I be afraid?” Edward asked as he sat down next to me. Charanel bounded back, carrying a sleek black tablet. “Are these the rules, Charanel?”

“Yeah,” he said, plopping down next to Edward. “We’ll have to get you some gear. I’m certain that Bella wouldn’t your face scarred for the ceremony.”

“Probably not,” Edward chuckled. “Show me how you play.”

Charanel monopolized Edward’s time during our meal. My poor imprint barely got any food into his stomach because my brother was chattering so gleefully. Edward listened intently, only asking for help a few times. Charanel’s speech was slurred and difficult to understand due to his developmental delay. He was almost twenty but his mind was that of a six year old boy. He never knew the love of a father. Norex _tolerated_ him. It was his mate that cared for him primarily when I couldn’t.  Granted, Edward was not his father, but would be his brother. Obviously Edward was willing to step into the role willingly and guide my brother, provide him with the love that he desired.

After dinner, Charanel dragged Edward out onto the fields south of the palace. It housed a specially made activity center for my brother, one to accommodate his size. My brother loved to climb on things but when he played on children’s playgrounds, they would crumble under his weight. Charanel ducked into a small building. Edward shrugged out of his jacket, handing it to me. “Your brother could easily kick my ass with this game,” Edward said, his green eyes filled with trepidation.

“I’ve already called Kunnan. He is on standby,” Marcusi said dryly. Didyme laughed, smacking his arm while Edward gulped audibly. Charanel ambled back, dropping an armful of equipment. “What is all this, Charanel?”

“Stuff,” he replied, plopping down on the short, teal lawn. My brother looked up at my mate, thinking very hard. “I think we need to start with this.” He tossed up a large ball. It was soft and stained. Edward caught it, spinning it in his large hands. “Play catch?”

“I think I can handle that,” Edward chuckled. Charanel beamed running away. “Charanel, I don’t think I can throw that far. Come a little close, okay?”

Charanel stopped and lolloped back to about a hundred meters from Edward. With a precision that I couldn’t deny, Edward threw the ball to Charanel. My brother couldn’t catch it but he gleefully ran to get it when he missed. I sat down on the grass, watching as my imprint and my brother tossed this dirty, ratty ball back and forth. Marcusi was beaming as he stiffly sat on the ground next to me.

“You do not need to stay,” I chided.

“He’s acting as a chaperone,” Didyme offered. I arched a brow.

“Aro and Caius are afraid that you will begin the mating bond before your ceremony,” Marcusi explained, his spots glowing red in shame. “I have faith in you, but they insisted that you be observed.” I huffed. “The strain on your connection comes from the need to fully bond with him but unable to do so.” Marcusi smiled softly though, putting his hand on my arm. “However, you should know that your brother adores Edward. It was instantaneous.”

“Can they share thoughts?” I asked.

“No, but Charanel looks at Edward with respect and love. Their bond is unique and it’s coming from both of them,” Marcusi beamed, looking at them. “He never had this, Nirabelle. A male who loved him unconditionally, regardless of his mind.”

I looked at my mate, sniffling in happiness. _Using a human phrase, Edward, I love you…thank you for loving my brother…_

_What’s not to love, Bella? He’s an amazing man and I can see how much he adores you._

“Charanel, it’s almost time for bed,” Maralice called.

“Do I have to?” Charanel asked, his shoulders slumping. “Ed is a lot of fun!”

“You can see Edward tomorrow, Charanel,” Maralice soothed as Charanel slumped over to where we were sitting. Edward jogged over to us, sitting next to me. His fingers threaded with mine and he kissed my wrist.

“Charanel, I know that we just met. According to D’Metri, I need to have a witness. Someone who can step in for me if something should happen to me to watch over your sister,” Edward murmured, looking at my brother. “Would you be my witness?”

“I’m too _yanhesh,_ ” Charanel spat, his spots glowing in an angry orange. “Norex said so.”

“Norex is _yanhesh,_ ” Edward said, staring at my brother, his own temper flaring causing my mate’s pale skin to flush red. “I want you. I know you love your sister and would always protect her, right?”

“Yes. Nirabelle, loved me when no one else would,” Charanel sniffled, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. “Except, Ali and Marc.”

“Will you stand beside me, Charanel, and act as my witness?” Edward pressed. “I love you.”

“You do?” Charanel whispered. Edward nodded. Everyone was crying at this point. With a loud whoop, Charanel jumped to Edward, wrapping his beefy arms around Edward’s neck. They toppled over as Charanel tackled Edward. “I’ll be your witness, Ed! _Te’une fei’rene_.”

With much struggle, we separated Edward and Charanel. Maralice guided my brother to her quarters, baiting him only with the promise that he’d see Edward tomorrow at first meal. Standing up, I wrap my arms around Edward’s waist. His clean scent provided me with the calm that I needed and his strong arms around my body grounded me. “You have given my brother what he needed more than anything,” I murmured against his chest. “Love.”

“He’s easy to love,” Edward soothed. “Perhaps Rosalie could look at his medical records. I don’t know much about Cygnarian physiology but there may be something we could do to help with his delay?”

“His brain was deprived of oxygen and he will forever be a child,” Marcusi explained. “We have advanced medical knowledge and not even our best and brightest physicians could help Charanel.”

“Please?” Edward asked.

“I’ll have them sent up to Rose,” I said. “What is the plan for tomorrow, Marcusi?”

“From the communiqué I received from Admiral Cullen, the _Excelsior_ should be arriving tomorrow along with two other vessels, the _Intrepid_ and the _Enterprise._ We have a formal ceremony planned for our admission into the Federation tomorrow afternoon, followed by a dinner and reception in the grand ballroom,” Marcusi explained. “Jerasse has your attire in your suite and I know that you have to wear your formal uniform, Emperor.”

 _It’s weird to be addressed that way,_ Edward thought to me. I nodded, kissing his cheek.

 _I’m still not used to it,_ I chuckled mentally.

“You must be tired,” Didyme offered. “Why don’t you both go to sleep and we’ll discuss the next couple of days tomorrow?” We both nodded, bidding Marcusi and Didyme good night. We walked back to the throne room, standing in front on the large, ornate area rug atop the light marble.

“Until tomorrow,” Edward murmured, kissing my neck. “You’ll be meeting my family.”

“I’m excited. I want to see if you look more like your mother or your father,” I teased.

“I’m built like my dad, strong and tall. But, my facial features and coloring come from my mother. My younger sister, Elizabeth looks the opposite. She has dad’s coloring but looks more like my mom,” Edward snickered. He yawned, giving me a sheepish look. “My body is unaccustomed to your days. How long are they?”

“Thirty-two Earth hours,” I said. “You really must be exhausted.” He wrinkled his nose adorably, giving me a sheepish look. “Sleep well, beloved.”

“I will,” he murmured, enfolding me in a hug. His lips brushed my forehead and he pulled back, his face pained from being away from me. A guard cleared his throat and Edward’s mind caressed mine. _I love you more than my own life, Nirabelle_. He turned on his heel, walking to the emperor suite.

 _Only two days, Edward_ , I crooned in my mind. _And then our bond will be complete._

_Oh, hell yes!_

_Are you excited,_ ti’ane?I asked, smiling as I slipped into my suite.

 _That’s putting it mildly,_ te’atée _,_ he said. His imagination took over and his love for me was overwhelming as he showed me what he wanted to do with me on the eve of our bonding ceremony. I whimpered, mentally squeaking my good night to take care of my now overwhelming desire for my mate.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Shortly after the first meal, I’m rushed away to my suite so I could be dressed in my finery for the presentation of Admiral Cullen, his wife, Captain Esme Cullen, and the Federation President, Eleazar M’Tak. There was also a small delegation from the Federation Council aboard the _Enterprise_ to observe our induction into the Federation. I would sign the paperwork along with the Council of Elders. Edward is not officially the ‘emperor’ until we are fully mated. Jerasse and her assistant, L’aurien, curled my hair, affixing my _ioti_ stone tiara. I am dressed in one of my more formal gowns. It is a soft teal blue with a jeweled belt. One shoulder is bare and I look so much like my mother. The only thing that was missing was her _ioti_ stone pendant. She was, however, cremated with it and I would never wear it.

“Empress, it is nearly time,” Jerasse murmured, helping me into my shoes. “Before you go, Emperor Edward gave me this.” She handed me a sleek black box with an inlaid pearlescent crest. “That is beautiful, Empress. Do you know what it is?”

“If I had to guess, it would be the crest of Edward’s family?” I suggested. “Such a strong depiction but so lovely.”

“Empress, I am anxious. Please open it,” L’aurien tittered. I blushed, my spots glowing a warm blue. Opening the box, I found a beautiful pendant, made with an _ioti_ stone and two other gems that I didn’t recognize. Inside, nestled on the lid was a handwritten note from my _ti’ane_. Moving smoothly, I sat down on the couch and opened the note.

 _My dearest_ Fíorghrá,

 _That word is an ancient Gaelic word meaning true love. My family descends from Ireland and England, so it is the language of my people. I never understood its meaning until I met you, Nirabelle. You are my true love, my soul, my other half and I would do absolutely anything to stay by your side. Despite my exhaustion, I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to be closer to you. I spent most of the night, working with the computer on the_ Volvo _on finding you the perfect present._

_I replicated this._

_I hate that it’s not the actual artifact, but a replicated facsimile, but this pendant was worn by my ancestor, Eimile, who was a princess in her time. The stone is very similar to your_ ioti _stones. They are called moonstones on Earth. It is not as pink as yours. The stone on top is a sky blue topaz. It seemed fitting since the royal color is blue. The final stone is an amethyst. The purple befitting royalty on Earth._

_I hope that you will wear this today as your world becomes a part of the Federation. I’m so happy that Forx and its colonies were added to this proud and storied collection of planets, cultures and minds. The Federation will protect Forx from the Alphans and I will personally protect you and your brother. You both mean so much to me. (Though, you mean infinitely more,_ **Fíorghrá).**

_I love you more than my own life, Nirabelle. I cannot wait until we are finally one._

_All my love,_

_Edward_

“You better not be crying, Empress,” Jerasse chided as she sat down in front of me. “You have to go in front of your subjects in ten minutes.”

“I’m sorry,” I chuckled, wiping my face as I clutched the beautiful note from my _ti’ane_ to my chest. “L’aurien, can you put this on me?” I asked, handing her the pendant. She lifted my hair, placing the pendant around my neck. “Thank you.”

“That pulls everything together, Empress,” Jerasse smiled. “You just need one more thing.” She darted into my private chambers. A few moments later, she came back with two large silver cuffs. Putting them on my arms, I stood up tall. Jerasse nodded, fluffing my dress. With one final step, she added a matching train to my dress, attaching it to the back. With a slow nod, I prepared myself for meeting Admiral Cullen and President M’Tak.

Walking out to the throne room, I saw the audience of nobles and dignitaries assembled. Edward was standing tall and proud, wearing his dress uniform from Galaxy Fleet. It was a black pair of trousers with a long white tunic that just came past his fingertips. The fabric on his shoulders was a deep blue and pinned to his chest was communicator. Draped across his body was a sash I’d seen my father wore. It was a deep blue, tied in an intricate knot at Edward’s hip. He still wore something that represented us on his uniform. His green eyes traveled to mine and he smiled crookedly.

 _The pendant is gorgeous on you,_ Fíorghrá. _Do you like it?_ he asked.

 _I love it,_ ti’ane. _I wish I could run into your arms,_ I sighed. He nodded, giving me a mental kiss. Walking up to the dais, I stood in front of the throne. The doors opened and a party of people were led in by the imperial guard. A tall man, wearing all white and having translucent white skin and white eyes followed regally. Admiral Cullen was to his left, wearing a similar uniform to Edward. A woman was next to Admiral Cullen, looking very much like Edward. To the right of the white man, there was a man who was average height, with a shiny bald head. His uniform was the same as Edward’s minus the sash.

“Empress Nirabelle, Leader of the Cygnarian people, please allow us to introduce Federation President, Eleazar M’Tak, Admiral Carlisle Cullen and Captain Jean-Luc Picard*,” announced the imperial herald.

“Welcome to Forx, Mr. President, Admiral and Captain,” I said, giving them a gesture of peace and greeting. “I am pleased that you have arrived safely.”

“Thank you for allowing us to come down to your beautiful planet, Empress Nirabelle,” said President M’Tak. His voice was deep and resonant, sounding like tubular bells. I walked off the dais and took his extended hand. He bent deeply, pressing his cool forehead to my hand. “I am so very sorry for the loss of your father, Emperor Charel. Admiral Cullen said that he was a fair man, a good man.”

“The best, Mr. President,” I smiled sadly. “Allow me to introduce to you our Council of Elders, Aro, Caius and Marcusi. They act as an advisory panel and lead in my absence.” They bowed and shook hands with the Admiral, President and the new captain. “I look forward to joining the Federation, Mr. President.”

“As we look forward to having you,” President M’Tak intoned. He nodded at Admiral Cullen who pulled out a large scroll, setting it on the table set up in the throne room. “Before we sign, I need you and your Council of Elders to take the Oath of the Federation.”

“Of course,” I smiled. Standing immediately behind me, Aro, Caius and Marcusi shuffled in line.

“Please raise your right hands,” President M’Tak commanded. We all abided by his gentle command. He spoke quietly and reverently as he walked us through the oath. After we repeated his words, he asked one question. “Do you swear to uphold and abide by the rules of the United Federation of Planets and the Prime Directive?”

“What is the Prime Directive, Mr. President?” asked Caius.

“It is a set of rules that all Federation planets abide by regarding other worlds that are not as technologically advanced as us,” Admiral Cullen answered. “It’s our guiding principle. It prohibits any Galaxy Fleet personnel from interfering with the internal development of alien civilizations. We cannot use our technology or give our technology to civilizations who are not on the same page as the rest of the Federation, technologically.”

“I see,” Caius said.

“Our indication that a planet or civilization is ready for us is when they have harnessed jump capabilities,” Edward added from his spot on the dais. “Cygnarians have achieved that nearly a hundred years ago. The only thing holding them back is lack of _dilithium_ ore on Forx and outlying planets.”

“We will promise to uphold the rules of the United Federation of Planets and this Prime Directive,” I said, giving Caius a stern look. The Council of Elders repeated that.

Reaching into his white jacket, President M’Tak retrieved an ancient looking pen. “This pen was first used to sign the treaty between Terrans and Turulians, the species that made first contact with the Terrans when they used their first jump drive nearly four hundred years ago. These two species formed the Federation with one singular mission, to explore the galaxy. With every addition to the United Federation of Planets, this pen is used as a symbol of unity and good faith.” President M’Tak bent over, signing his name with a flourish. “Empress Nirabelle?” I took the pen, signing my own name in Cygnarian. “Captain Cullen, you are the Federation officer who sponsored the Cygnarians and Forx. You are the final signature.” Edward walked over, taking the pen and signing his name, smiling crookedly.

Holding out his hand, President M’Tak smiled softly. I shook his cool hand. “Welcome to the Federation, Empress.”

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The reception and dinner were amazing. We shared some of our finest delicacies for the Federation dignitaries. I was dressed in a navy blue ball gown for the meal. Everyone was there, including Norex and his mate, Lianette. My uncle glared at me, his hatred filling the room. I couldn’t let his stares unnerve me. Ignoring him, I played the part of the Empress, thanking my guests and smiling with each new introduction.

Shortly before mid-night, the reception ended and everyone in attendance was invited to my bonding ceremony with Edward. I looked at my imprint. We had very little time to be near one another. He was commandeered by the Federation President and Captain Picard for the most the evening or he was talking with his family. We would be separated in a few short minutes, but by late afternoon, we’d be bonded and we would be able to finally complete our connection.

I couldn’t sleep once I got changed into my leggings and tunic. I idly played with my new pendant and wished for the sun to rise early. The sooner it was up, the sooner I would be mated and bonded with my _ti’ane_. I eventually drifted only to be woken up by Jerasse and L’aurien. “Empress, Captain Cullen and Miss Elizabeth are in your suite. They would like to have breakfast with you before you begin getting ready for your bonding ceremony.”

“Thank you,” I said, wiping my eyes. “Can you arrange for breakfast to be delivered here? _S’ata_ muffins with _tala root_ tea. Ask Captain Cullen and Miss Elizabeth what they would like.” They nodded, leaving me in my chambers. I twisted my hair up and dressed in a simple gown. Taking care of my needs, I walked out to my suite to finally speak with Edward’s mother and sister. “Greetings, Captain,” I said, giving her a warm gesture.

“I’m no longer a captain. I’m just merely Esme,” she said in a light brogue. “This is my daughter, Elizabeth.”  She returned my greeting before pulling me into her arms. I giggled, unaccustomed to such affection. “I hope you don’t mind the hug. I’m not stuffy like those other Galaxy Fleet captains. I like to have fun.”

“Mom, you’re scaring the poor girl,” Elizabeth chided, her voice rough and raspy. Esme stepped back, still holding my hands. “My mother doesn’t understand the concept of personal boundaries.”

“You hush,” Esme snickered. “I just wanted to get to know the woman who finally stole our dear Edward’s heart.”

“Please, sit,” I said, gesturing to the comfortable sofa in my suite. “Jerasse and L’aurien will be back with something for us to eat. Did they ask what you wanted?”

“Whatever you got was fine,” Esme said, waving her hand dismissively. “The food last night was delicious. Spicy, but delicious. Will there be more of that at the celebration tonight?”

“My mother has a tendency to think with her stomach,” Elizabeth giggled. “I’m the same way. Whenever I go to a new place, I have to try some of the local cuisine.”

“I’ve only ever been to Forx and Lapus. Because of my status as crowned princess, I wasn’t allowed the luxuries of travel. My safety was paramount. I should have taken advantage of the replicator while I was aboard the _Volvo_ ,” I giggled.

“The replicator is not the same,” Esme shuddered, her nose wrinkled. “It imitates the food. It’s not as good as being there. I love this Turulian dish, _n’kaya_ stew. I tried it with the replicator and it’s _okay._ But on the Turulian home world? It’s to die for.”

We spent the morning drinking _tala root_ tea. I explained the phenomenon of imprinting and how rare my connection with Edward was. Elizabeth asked questions pertaining to the ceremony today and Esme was just over the moon that Edward had made a love match. We spent nearly the whole morning talking. It wasn’t until Jerasse and L’aurien reminded me of the time that they left.

Jerasse and L’aurien led me to my bathroom and instructed me to wash myself, but they would help me get ready for my bonding ceremony. I allowed myself an extra-long soak. I scoured my body with the essence of _kinka_. I wanted to smell good for my mate. Finishing up with my bath, I dried off and wrapped my body in a light-weight silken robe. Jerasse and L’aurien removed my robe, preparing my body for my mating. My skin was covered with a sweet-smelling oil. Every bit of my body hair was removed, save for the curls between my legs and the hair atop my head. Using small brushes, Jerasse and L’aurien paint the phrase, _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari_ in ancient Cygnarian underneath my breasts.

Once my body was prepared, they put the robe back on me and began curling my hair. It was an intricate hairstyle, with my circlet weaved into my chocolate brown tresses. My hair was completed and Jerasse and L’aurien applied my makeup with a deft hand. Looking in the mirror, I didn’t look like Nirabelle. I looked like my mother, Riannelle.

“Empress, we will prepare your chambers for your mating,” L’aurien murmured. “Envoy Maralice will help you get into your gown.”

“Thank you,” I said, my nerves all a quiver. I walked to where my gown was hanging. It was a flowing, light blue dress that was held up by one singular strap. I would be completely naked underneath it. No undergarments. I shuddered at what would happen after our ceremony. Yes, we would have to endure a celebration, but afterward, Edward and I would be together. His hands would be on my body. His lips would touch mine. Our bodies would connect in the most intimate of ways, fully solidifying our bond and our souls.

Maralice walked in, wearing a white gown that was draped over her body fashionably. Around her waist, she wore a blue belt and a gem positioned between her eye brows. White was a color of grieving. Today would be hard for Maralice, not being able to celebrate my bonding ceremony with her beloved Jamel and being reminded of her own attack.

“How is Charanel doing?” I asked as I looked at my best friend.

“He’s fine. He and Edward are playing _icktoy_ ,” Maralice smiled. “I overheard them talking and Charanel will be escorting you to Edward before he stands to take his place as Edward’s witness.”

“Charanel is standing in the place of my father? Giving my soul to Edward?” I asked, my eyes filling with tears. Maralice nodded, hugging me close. “Does he understand?”

“Edward explained it to him, using human terms but yes, Charanel understood. He’s taking this responsibility very seriously,” Maralice said. “Now, let’s get you ready for your big day.” Maralice told me to remove my robe and she helped me into my gown. Attaching the single strap, she smiled. She added my jewelry, my empress ring and the two silver bracelets from yesterday. I also wore Edward’s pendant around my neck. The last step were my shoes. I slipped them on, standing tall and feeling _li’okir_ bats floating in my belly. “Do you have any questions about what will happen after the celebration?”

“No. I remember our talks about mating and bonding,” I blushed. My spots sizzled at the mere thought of feeling Edward’s warm skin against mine.

“Okay,” Maralice said quietly, taking my hands. “I know that Kunnan gave you the injection to prevent your cycle and you cannot get pregnant.”

“I couldn’t deal with that on top of everything else. You know as well as I do that when Cygnarian females are receptive to getting pregnant, we are crazed. I went through it twice and I was all out of sorts,” I shuddered.

“It’s what makes the bonding even more animalistic,” Maralice said, giving me a sly grin. “Jamel and I mated when I was receptive to conceiving a child, just before he died. It was the most amazing thing we’d ever done. In fact, we did conceive a baby, but I lost it when I was consumed with grief over the death of my mate.”

“Oh, Maralice,” I breathed, taking her hand.

“It was for the best. I would not have been able to care for the child without Jamel,” Maralice said, squeezing my fingers. “Now, no sadness. Today is a happy day. You are to be mated with you _te’atée_ mate. Come, we need to get you to the ceremony site. It’s the exact location where your parents were joined, Nirabelle.”

I smiled and went with my friend to the woods just to the east of the imperial palace. There was a light blue tent set up. Caius and Aro were sitting in there, talking to my brother in hushed tones. My brother was wearing a pair of gray pants, a loose blue shirt and a dark blue jacket with a royal blue sash tied across his chest. His brown hair was tamed and he wore his circlet along with his own _ioti_ ring. “Charanel, you look so handsome,” I murmured, walking towards him. “You look like Father.”

“I miss him, Nirabelle,” Charanel said quietly. “I want to be like Father, but I’m _yanhesh_.”

“You are not,” I said sternly, taking his face in my hands. “You may not be as smart as Father, but you have a good heart and you love so much. I’m proud that you are my brother. I will always be proud of you, Charanel. Who told you that you are _yanhesh?_ ”

“Uncle Rex,” Charanel said, his spots glowing in shame. “He doesn’t like me.”

I pursed my lips, wanting to find Norex and punch him in the nose.

 _I heard that, Bella_ , Edward chimed in my brain. _It’s tempting. Trust me. He’s here and raising holy hell that this is sacred ground that we’re desecrating. Marcusi is so close to having him thrown out._

 _Can he? Please?_ I pleaded mentally. _He’s been calling my brother a_ yanhesh _. That’s…that’s…_

 _Awful. Makes me want to punch him in the nose,_ Edward growled.

“Empress, it’s time,” said Jerasse. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress. Her blonde hair curled and flowing down her back. My body trembled and Charanel hugged me. His jovial face went away and he slipped on the impassive mask of a royal. We taught him that quickly. Even though Charanel may be developmentally delayed, he looked normal. You wouldn’t know that he was mentally challenged until you spoke with him. I taught him to look proud, arrogant and blank when he was acting as a royal.

“Charanel, thank you for escorting me to Edward,” I said as we walked to the end of the aisle. It was long and covered with white petals.

“He is your soul and love, Nirabelle,” Charanel murmured. “Why wouldn’t I do this?” I stood on my tip toes and kissed my brother’s cheek. He blushed. Maralice checked my dress once more before scurrying to her seat among my people and our honored guests. “I love you, Bella. You’ll always be my sissy.”

“I love you, too, Charanel,” I sniffled as I took his hand. Stiffly, we walked down the long aisle. I tried to take in all of that I could. Above us, there floating flowers that were so fragrant, it made the air sweet. Closer to the front of the aisle, I saw Counselor Marcusi standing on a raised platform, covered with _tika_ and _kinka_ flowers. He was dressed in his blue ceremonial robes. Standing to the right of Marcusi was Edward, dressed similarly to Charanel, except his sash was light blue, matching my gown. Pinned at his hip was an _ioti_ brooch that belonged to my father. Upon his head, Edward wore his own _ioti_ circlet.

Approaching the platform, Charanel and I bowed deeply. Marcusi began the ceremony, speaking in ancient Cygnari and telling the story of the first bonding. Once he was finished, Marcusi smiled at my brother. “Who gives the Empress to this man, to reunite your soul?”

With a practiced accent, Charanel spoke clearly. “On behalf of my mother and father, I do,” he intoned. Charanel kissed my cheek and placed my hand within Edward’s and took his place behind my imprint. Maralice stood up, walking behind me.

Marcusi began speaking again in ancient Cygnari. I moved so I was holding both of Edward’s hands. His mind caressed mine. _There are no words, Nirabelle. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I cannot believe that you are mine and I am yours._

 _Always, I’ll be yours_ , I cooed. The world around us didn’t exist. It was just Edward and me, holding hands and preparing for our final bond.

I felt a subtle push to my back and I shook my head. Marcusi was smiling indulgently. There were a few titters among our guests. “The mating bond is as old as this world. Gravity does not hold us to the ground, our imprint does. Your sun, your moon, your stars are all connected to the one you have bonded with. A _te’atée_ bond is so rare that only two times prior has this bond been made. You do not have connected souls. Your soul is one. Maralice, may I have the sash?”

Maralice handed him a royal blue sash. Edward and I moved closer together, threading our fingers together. Marcusi wrapped the sash around our joint hands. He said the mating vow in ancient Cygnari, murmuring how our souls were forever connected and bonded, our love transcending everything around us and being the most important thing. I could feel our bond strengthening through our mental connection. Edward’s eyes were glimmering, looking like emeralds against his pale skin. When Marcusi instructs Maralice and Charanel to touch our shoulders, I was nearly bowled over with the strength of our connection. Edward’s fingers tightened around mine and his eyes darkened.

“Both of you repeat after me… _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” Marcusi murmured.

Reverently, we both repeated the phrase, “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari.”_

“The bond is nearly complete,” Marcusi said. “Please seal it with a _senelle_.” Maralice and Charanel gently pushed us together. Edward’s cheeks were flushed and his lips were parted. Slowly, he bent his head and his mouth hovered over my own. Angling my own head, I stood on my tiptoes, closing the gap between our mouths. Our connection exploded in our heads, wrapping around us like white hot tendrils of passion, love and devotion. Edward’s sweet mouth moved gently over mine and he held our hands to his rapidly beating heart beneath his chest. “ _Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari,_ ” Marcusi said happily. Our guests repeated that and a warmth surrounded Edward and me.

Breaking apart, we were panting. Edward’s pink lips were swollen and his eyes were _glowing_ a bright green. He smiled crookedly, brushing his lips against mine once more before we turned and walked down the aisle, _tika_ flowers falling from the canopy. Our hands were still bound with the sash, making it difficult to walk. Arriving at the tent where I waited for the ceremony to start, Edward released our hands and his warm fingers trailed down my spots. I could feel my body react, wanting to mate with him.

“I’m yours,” he whispered, his fingers still caressing my spots on my neck. They were sizzling and giving me pleasure. “You’re mine…”

“Yes,” I breathed. He leaned forward, kissing my mouth tenderly. My hands moved to his hair, tangling into the soft strands. Our lips were languid in their movement, but the promise of more was apparent. Love poured out of each kiss. I wanted to crawl up his body and stay in his arms forever.

“Empress,” called Maralice from outside of the tent. “The guests are going to the palace. Official holos need to be taken for the announcements.”

We broke apart. Edward’s eyes were glowing brighter and I could feel everything from, his emotions, his joy and his arousal. Literally, I could feel that pressed to my belly. “It’s real,” Edward murmured, his fingers trailing down my spots. “I felt our connection. I feel everything, _Fíorghrá_.”

“It will grow stronger with time,” I said. “Unfortunately, we cannot lose ourselves to the connection just yet, _te’atée._ We must have our pictures taken.” Edward’s pout was adorable. I kissed it away, because I could. Threading our fingers together, we emerged from the tent. Marcusi was smiling widely. “What?”

“I thought your bond was strong before, but now?” Marcusi replied. “It’s glowing all around you. I wish everyone could see it.” Edward held me closely, nuzzling my cheek. I melted against his strong body. If possible, Marcusi’s grin spread wider.

“We need to go to the dais before sun dips below the mountains, Empress,” Maralice said, leading us back down the aisle. The sun cast the location where we had our ceremony in a warm, honeyed glow. Charanel was standing with Admiral Cullen and his wife, Esme. They were talking with my brother. With my acute Cygnarian hearing, I could hear them praise Charanel for being such a wonderful brother. Charanel blushed and ducked behind his hands, his royal façade gone.

The palace holographer positioned us and took many holos and even some traditional photos. Nearly an hour after our ceremony, we finally went to the palace’s grand ballroom. Edward and I sat down at the table in front of our honored guests. We had our meal to get through, plus a human tradition of the first dance and eating cake. The cake part was appropriate since tomorrow was _Hisnari_. Our palace bakers baked a large cake that looked like an oversized _nari_ cake. Our guests would get smaller versions of it. Charanel would get two since he loved _nari_ cakes.

We had traditional Cygnarian dishes. Edward took great pleasure in feeding me as often as he could. His hands were always touching me and his eyes were a warm green, shimmering in the light of the ballroom. I kissed his lips, strengthening our bond and making myself quite aroused. I knew that my dress had many, many layers, but the wetness between my legs was almost embarrassing.

After we had finished our meals, Edward and I walked to the center of the ballroom. Norex and his brood were sitting just off the edge of the platform where the large _nari_ cake was positioned. He glared at me disdainfully. I ignored him, cutting into the cake with my mate. Standing next to Edward, we fed each other a piece of the _nari_ cake. We sealed our union with a kiss while Edward escorted me in front of the platform. Edward took me in his arms, holding my hand over his frantically beating heart. An old earth song began playing and we swayed to the music. Once the music was done, Edward dipped his head and brushed his lips across mine. Our connection crackled. I shuddered in his arms, needing to be alone with him.

“All rise for Empress Nirabelle and Emperor Edward,” intoned Counselor Aro. “Blessings on you both…” He began clapping and the room exploded in applause as they all stood up. Edward and I began making our way out of the ballroom. We stopped at the table that hosted Admiral Cullen and his family, along with President M’Tak. My mate shook hands with the males while he hugged his mother and sister. With a gesture of peace, Edward and I left the ballroom. We walked toward my chambers where we would finally fully bond as mates.

“Nirabelle! Ed!” called Charanel as he bustled out of the door. “I know I won’t see you, but I’m happy for you both.” My brother hugged me, holding me tightly. “ _Te’una fei’rine_. I love you, sister.” Charanel looked at Edward, smiling brightly. “ _Te’une, fei’rene._ I love you, brother.” Edward hugged Charanel and rubbed his back. When they pulled apart, Charanel slipped back into the royal mask. He bowed, walking stiffly back into the ballroom.

“Enjoy your _nari_ cakes,” Edward called. “They are in your chambers.” Charanel turned, beaming excitedly and waving at Edward before he slipped back inside of the ballroom. My mate turned to me, his eyes predatory. “Now, finally, we can be alone.”

“Yes,” I breathed. Edward smiled seductively, swooping me in his arms. He started walking the opposite direction of my suite. “ _Ti’ane_ , it’s the other way,” I giggled.

“Shit,” he snorted. Wrinkling his nose, he put me down and looked at me sheepishly. “Lead the way. I’m obviously turned around.”

I bit my lip, tugging on his hand. Our trip back to my suite was quick. Using my palm, I opened the door and pulled Edward inside. Setting the computer to lock the door, only to be opened in emergencies, I leaned against the hard wood, staring up at Edward. His eyes were sweeping over my glowing spots and heaving body.

“Before we lose ourselves, I want to give you something,” Edward said. “This was given to me by Counselor Marcusi. It was worn by your mother.” He reached into his inner pocket of his jacket and removed a small, velvet pouch. “In human culture, a woman wears a ring to signify she is married. Obviously, we are much more than that, but I wanted you to have something that represented me and you and your family. The stone is an _ioti_ stone, worn by your mom. The ring itself is from my family. Working with a jeweler well into the night last night, after the reception, this is what was created.” He handed me a ring. The _ioti_ stone glimmered in the candlelight of my suite. I remembered my mother wearing this, except hers was in a bracelet. “Will you wear this?”

“Always,” I murmured. Edward smiled, picking up my left hand and sliding the ring on my third finger. “Do human males wear rings?”

“Yes,” Edward replied. “On the same finger.” I grinned softly, walking to my safe where I kept my father’s belongings. Originally, we wanted them on display, but someone tried to steal them from the Imperial Palace. So, I locked them in my suite. Finding what I wanted, I walked back to Edward. “This was my father’s. He wore every day except when he went into battle. This is a rare _ioti_ stone, even rarer than the ones we wear.” I held it up and the stone luminesced. “It glows. Only in our atmosphere, though. We have trace gases that react with the stone that make it glow. Only the Emperor can wear this. Since you are the Emperor and my mate, you can wear it.” I pushed it onto his left finger, but it was too big. My father’s hands were quite large. Edward put it on his pointer finger, smiling softly.

“I will wear it with honor, my Bella,” he whispered.

“The jewelers can size it,” I tittered nervously. He nodded, taking my face in his hands. His warm eyes met mine. They were glowing again. “So beautiful…”

“That would be you, love,” Edward murmured. My body shuddered and my spots shimmered, needing his touch. “I feel like I’m about to crawl out of my skin. I need you so badly.”

“Bedroom,” I whispered, kissing his lips. I took his hand, leading him to my private chambers. Like my suite, every flat surface was littered with soft, glowing candles. Their wicks had been treated with a solution that made the flames flicker in a light blue. My bedding had been replaced with dark, midnight blue sheets with sheer fabric swathed over the posts. Edward looked at the room, but his eyes cut to me, staring at me hungrily. “Tonight, we complete our bond. Our soul has reunited and forever, we will be one.” I reached to the single strap holding my dress on my body. With a flick of my wrist, the strap fell away and the dress slipped down my body to the floor.

“My God,” Edward whispered, his eyes traveling up my body. “Perfection…you are…there are no words, Bella…” His hands slid up my arms and cupped my face. With a tender kiss, he drew me closer to his body. My fingers gripped his jacket, wanting there to be nothing between us. I pushed his jacket over his shoulders and it fell onto the marble floor with a soft thump. Edward pulled back, tossing the sash along with the jacket. My fingers nimbly worked over the buttons of his shirt until I was met with warm, supple skin. Pressing my palms to his chest, I slid them up and down his torso. He shuddered, shrugging out of his shirt and wrapped his strong arms around me. His lips found mine, possessing me with his mouth. His thoughts were singularly on me, my body and our love, echoing my own mind.

I slowly pulled away and fell to my knees. Reaching up to his trousers, I started to unbutton them. “Bella, no, love…”

“It’s expected,” I murmured.

“Not tonight, _Fíorghrá,_ ” he said, helping me to my feet. “It’s our mating night and I want to show you how much I love you. I want to cherish and worship you, Bella. I don’t want you to be subservient to me. You are an empress. You should not be on your knees.”

“You said that before,” I murmured. “When we spoke to Marcusi…”

“And I firmly stand by it, Bella,” he said, his voice strong. He swept me in his arms, carrying me toward the bed. Gently, he placed me on the dark satin sheets. He crawled into the bed with me, hovering over my body. “I want taste, kiss and love every inch of your beautiful body, Empress.” His lips found mine and I gasped as I felt his body pressed against me. His skin was so warm, so soft and so perfectly masculine. My hands flew to his hair as he kissed me so tenderly. I could feel my spots glow, sizzle and beg for more. His hands moved down my body, running a single fingertip along the length of my torso. “They go all of the way down, love. Your spots are one of the many things I love about you.”

“Touch me,” I pleaded, my voice sounding wanton and needy. He kissed me, running his hands along body.

“I knew they glowed, but your spots are so warm, making my hand tingle,” Edward mused. His lips found my neck and his tongue started licking my markings. I was shuddering in pleasure, wanting to feel him. His hands continued their movement along my body before they reached my breasts, palming them gently. With a twist of his body, Edward moved us so I was perched on his lap. His mouth glided down until her pulled on my breasts between his teeth. Looking up at me, his green eyes were glowing, undoubtedly like mine. Our soul was wanting to be connected and our eyes were the window to that connection.

My hands were tangled in Edward’s soft silky hair. He removed the circlet he wore for the ceremony just after we sat down to eat. He said that he was unused to it. Maralice took it from him and placed it in his quarters, locking it in the safe. I could touch his hair unhindered. _Bella, my Bella,_ Edward’s mind cooed as his mouth moved back to my lips. His arms were wrapped around my body, holding me against his muscular chest. Our kisses were growing in intensity and passion. My arousal between my legs was wet and slick, coating my skin. “I love you,” he whispered, rolling gently and pressing me onto the dark sheets. “All of you.”

“Edward, _te’atée_ ,” I breathed. He smiled crookedly, kissing my mouth before making a trek down my body. His fingers were gliding over my skin, teasing my spots. He kissed the phrase underneath my breasts, murmuring it to me with adoring eyes. His lips moved further down my body. Running his nose along my hips, his hands gently pried my legs apart. In his mind, he showed me what he intended to do. Cygnarian males were attentive lovers, as far as I know, but not to _that_ extent. “Is that something humans do?”

“Yes and women find it to be very pleasurable. I want to do it to you, Bella,” he said quietly. “If you don’t…”

 _Please…I want to feel you everywhere,_ I breathed mentally, not fully confident in my voice.

That was all that Edward needed to hear. His eyes moved to the intimate place between my legs. The place that only he will see. Lowly, I could feel a growl and Edward leaned forward, kissing my lower lips gently. My body jack knifed off the bed. My spots were not glowing, but shining brightly. Every inch of my skin was on fire. Edward rumbled between my legs, his tongue tasting my sex, flicking along my folds. Unbidden, my legs spread further apart, wanting him to see all of me, to taste all of me. The intimacy of this act made me even more aroused. Evidence of that arousal was seeping out of me and undoubtedly onto Edward’s tongue and lips.

When he added his fingers into the mix, I thought I was going to die from ecstasy. His movements were gentle and smooth, curling inside of my body. His mind was reeling with how ‘tight’ and ‘wet’ I was. I assumed those were good things because he was kissing my sex fervently. All along my body, I felt a tingling feeling. It was emanating from my spots but focusing on where Edward was kissing. My hips were moving, grinding against his fingers and my hands clung to the sheets. With a silent scream, I arched off the bed, feeling the most amazing thing. Edward must have stopped because his thoughts were of watching me as my body exploded with lights.

Collapsing on the bed, I was panting heavily. Edward crawled up and he gathered me in his arms, kissing me softly. “That was the single most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen, _Fíorghrá._ Does that happen with all Cygnarians?”

“The lights?” I asked, running my fingers through his sparse hair on his belly. “I don’t know. In my discussions with Maralice, she never told me about her body exploding in lights when…” My spots sizzled in anticipation.

“When you had an orgasm,” Edward purred, his lips finding mine. “Like I said, it was exquisite.” He kissed my mouth. “Beautiful.” His lips traveled to my jaw. “Lovely.” He captured my ear and suckled on it. “Perfect…” _I want to make love to you, Bella. My gorgeous Bella._

“Please,” I breathed as my hands slid down his body to finish removing his pants. However, they were already gone. Biting my lip, I sat up and looked at Edward. “You saw all of me. It’s only fair.”

Edward laughed, _Ogle away, my love_.

“What does oogle mean?” I asked.

“Ogle,” he corrected. “It means to stare unabashedly. I’ve got nothing to hide. I’m completely yours, _Fíorghrá._ ”

“I want to touch you,” I breathed. “You are so beautiful, Edward…but what is this marking along your ribcage? It looks like the cover of the box that my pendant was in.”

“It’s my family’s crest. I got it permanently tattooed to my skin. It doesn’t wash off. It’s there, forever,” he replied. He rolled so I could look at it closely. It was beautiful, swirling in black and grey, popping out on his pale skin. I ran my fingers along the tattoo, tracing it. Edward shivered and his skin erupted with small bumps.

“Did I harm you?” I asked, pulling my hand away.

“Quite the opposite. It felt amazing,” Edward breathed. I smiled, leaning forward and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his tattoo. Edward moaned quietly and I continued kissing his sweet smelling skin. It reminded me of _fiorien_ fruit, spicy and tart, but with a subtle sweetness. My hands glided across his body until I reached his manhood. I was grateful that I looked up information on the human male anatomy. He was bigger than any Cygnarian on the planet, with a rounded head. The skin was red and it twitched. I bit my lip, looking at his arousal. “It’s not going to bite, Bella.”

“Cygnarian men are not as well-endowed,” I blushed. “It’s similar, but much smaller.” I looked at him, smiling widely. “I want to feel you. All of you. Inside of me.” Leaning down, I kissed my mate, my _ti’ane_. His arms wrapped around me and he rolled us on the bed so he was above me.

“I’ll go slowly, _Fíorghrá,_ ” he murmured. “Squeeze my hands if it hurts and I’ll stop.”

“You could never hurt me,” I whispered. “This may be my first time bonding with you, but I know you’d never hurt me.”

He smiled softly, leaning down to brush his lips against mine. His hands cupped my face as he balanced on his forearms. My legs were spread and balanced around his hips. I could feel his hardness press against my sex. Pulling back, he stared into my eyes. _You are my world. My reason for breathing, Nirabelle._ He reached between us and he positioned his manhood at my entrance. “I love you. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ ” He slid inside of me and I gasped, my spots simmering. I could feel our bond, wrapping around us tightly, pressing him deeper in my body. I expected it to hurt, but I felt nothing but ecstasy. So did Edward. “Heavens above…I had no idea, my love.”

“Edward,” I sobbed, clutching his face and staring into his glowing green eyes, showering me with his love. With each languid thrust, my vision grew sharper and Edward’s face and beauty was enhanced. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ I whimpered to him mentally. He smiled softly, kissing me with such reverence that I thought I’d sob from happiness, joy and pleasure. We were so tangled together that I didn’t know where he ended and I began. For the first time in my life, I felt complete, whole and infallible.

“My Bella. Oh, God,” he panted, his forehead pressed to mine. “Every inch of my skin is…I can’t describe it. I don’t want it to stop.”

 _It’s our final bond. We are truly one now,_ I moaned mentally as my lips found his, kissing him passionately. My spots were shimmering, glowing like when Edward was doing that thing with his tongue. His thrusts were much more forceful and I was now rocking with him, wanting him further inside.

“Bella, I’m so close, _Fíorghrá,_ ” he panted, his arms tightening around me. I scratched my nails down his back. He trembled, his rhythm faltering. I squeezed him with my body, losing myself in our final connection, our bond. Edward roared as his body suddenly came to a halt. I felt him spill inside of me. My spots exploded in a rainbow of lights as I experienced my own pleasure, milking his manhood as it twitched within my body. He slowly came back to himself, pumping languorously until he slipped out. My spots were still glowing and would probably stay that way for a long time. He tried to roll off me, but I held onto him. “I’ve got to crushing you.”

“No, I like it,” I said, looking up at his handsome face. “I was told of the power of the bond, but I never thought it could be this intoxicating.” _I never want to wear clothes again. I just want you. Only you._

 _You won’t get any complaints from me,_ Edward chuckled as he got up from his spot in my arms.

“Where are you going?” I whispered.

“I would be a poor mate if I didn’t take care of my _Fíorghrá,_ ” he said, bowing as he got off the bed. He wandered into the bathroom and returned with a white cloth. Tenderly, he wiped down my inner thighs and my sex, which was now feeling the evidence of our coupling. It was a delicious pain, one that I didn’t want to ignore. He finished caring for me and he walked back to the bathroom, tossing the cloth inside. As he strode back into the bedroom, I truly looked at my mate. His body was strong, lithe and muscular. His shoulders were broad and his waist was slim. It was obvious that he took excellent care of his form. I glanced down at his manhood and even in its flaccid form, it was impressive. “I see you ogling,” he laughed, climbing back into the bed and gathering me in his warm embrace.

“You’re mine, so I can oogle as much as I want,” I giggled, tracing my fingers over his muscled torso.

“I am yours,” he said, his fingers gliding up and down my back. “I wish we could just stay here and be happy…”

“Well, we have three days before we are obligated to leave these chambers,” I said, twining my fingers into his slightly damp hair.

“What about the Federation President? Your admittance to the Federation? There is a lot to be done, Bella,” Edward said.

“There is, but the Council of Elders is giving us time to bond, mate and just be,” I explained. “Your father pushed it with President M’Tak. I overheard him speaking to him during dinner.”

“You could hear that? I never knew that Cygnarians had such strong hearing,” Edward chuckled, his hand caressing my still glowing spots. “So, three days? Hmmmm…?”

“Yes, _ti’ane_ ,” I said. “Three days of being with you. Only with you. No threats of the Alphans, a cloaked vessel or bitter uncles.”

“And no clothes,” Edward smirked.

“I love the sound of that,” I cooed, covering his mouth with mine and we lost ourselves in our bond for the second time.

**A/N: Soooo, how was the extraterrestrial lemon? Good? Bad? Mediocre? What about the mating bonding ceremony? Pictures for that are on my blog and tumblr, along with Bella’s dress and their rings. Links for those are on my profile. I am also planning on starting a blog specifically for this story within the next couple of weeks. Be on the lookout for that. Just saying…**

**Up next, we are going back to Edward and we will have citrusy time in his point of view. They will enjoy some time in Bella’s bathtub. (Did you see that bathroom? It’s freaking amazing!) We’re also going to have some drama with the Alphans. As always, please leave me some!**

_Hisnari ~ a celebration on Forx; people exchange gifts and eat special cakes, Nari cakes_ _in celebration of this holy day when the Cygnarian people were created_

_Ioti ~ moonstones with a pink-ish, pearlescent sheen_

_Kinka ~ a deep purple flower that resembles a calla lily._

_Yanhesh ~ Cygnarian insult, someone so stupid that the dirt has more intelligence or fucktard_

_Giju’ri ~ a game, played by boys and men, a cross between cricket, jai alai and softball_

_Te’une fei’rene ~ Cygnarian phrase, I love you, my brother._

_Fíorghrá ~ Gaelic word, meaning true love_

_Dilithium ~ crystals used in the jump core of a starship; used to balance matter and antimatter and its reaction to allow starships to travel faster than the speed of light._

_N’kaya ~ Turulian sausage, very spicy and used in stews_

_Icktoy ~ Cygnarian game, Chinese checkers_

_Li’okir ~ large bats, roughly the size of falcons that reside on the planet of Forx_

_Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari ~ One soul, one love, forever_

_Fiorien fruit ~ combination of apple, basil and vanilla (the scent), tastes like a tart pear with a spicy bite_

***I had to. I just had to. ‘Make it so, Number One.***


	6. Chapter 6

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Thank you to the Fic Sisters for their recommendation on their blog! I was so excited when I read it! It made my _week!_**

**Up next, we are going back to Edward and we will have citrusy time in his point of view. They will enjoy some time in Bella’s bathtub. (Did you see that bathroom? It’s freaking amazing!) We’re also going to have some drama with the Alphans. As always, please leave me some!**

**Chapter Six**

**EPOV**

I spent most of the night watching my mate, my _Fíorghrá._ She was curled next to me, her limbs twined with mine and still deliciously naked. I’d been with a fair share of women. Some human and some not human. Klaxon traditions in the bedroom were downright brutal. I had so many broken bones with that tryst. But nothing felt like what I had with Nirabelle. My heart felt like it was truly beating and I was wrapped in a blanket of warmth, contentment and absolute pleasure.

The sun began its ascent in the Cygnarian sky. Bella moaned, rolling away from the window. She used my body as a block. I chuckled. Her lithe form was pressed against me and I was definitely experiencing some morning wood. Her sweet little bottom wriggling against my skin awoke my body. I traced my fingers down her still glowing spots. She shuddered.

“That feels good,” she purred, her voice rough sleep but still so beautiful.

“What? This?” I asked, repeating the action from before. She moaned, her body inching back to mine. She was on her side. My chest was pressed to her back. Gliding my fingers along her spots, I watched as she became more and more aroused.

“Your hands on me, it’s like it’s meant to be,” she breathed, turning to look at me. Her blue eyes were sparkling but hooded with desire.

“More, love?” I asked, nuzzling her neck and suckling on her earlobe. She pleaded mentally for more of what I did last night. I smiled against her skin, knowing exactly what she meant. After our third time making love, she explained that Cygnarian men didn’t touch a woman between her legs with anything except their manhood. Kissing her down there brought my mate, my love, untold pleasure and she craved it. Frankly, so did I. I loved tasting a woman from where she was the sweetest. It had only happened with my ex-wife, really. It was too intimate of an act to do with a stranger. I missed doing it and now, adored being able to kiss my mate’s sex with my mouth, knowing I’ll be the only one to do it.

“Edward,” she breathed. _Where were you?_

“With you, _Fíorghrá_ , only with you,” I said, kissing her mouth. Her fingers tangled in my hair as she hooked her leg over my hip. She rocked against my thigh and her arousal spilling out of her was abundant. I kissed down her sexy, beautiful body, tasting every inch of her skin. She whimpered and almost purred when I traced my tongue along her spots. They gave me almost an electric shock, acting as an aphrodisiac. With each taste, I grew harder.

Gently, I spread Bella’s legs. I kissed her inner thighs, along the spots that were at the seam where her leg met her torso. She looked almost human. The spots obviously indicated that she was not, along with her sweet, succulent flavor. Running my tongue along the length of her sex, I growled lowly at her taste. Bella’s hands thrust to my hair and she spread her legs further. Flicking my tongue along her aroused nub, I slid two fingers inside of her body. Curling them in her, Bella was rocking against me, begging for more with her mind. I eagerly complied, not wanting to deny my perfect mate. Her happiness and safety were paramount.

“Oh, Edward,” she sobbed, her fingers moving from my hair and clutching the navy bedding. Keeping my mouth on her and moving my fingers inside slowly but steadily, she climaxed quietly, arching off the mattress. Like each time she came, her spots were brightly shining, even brighter than the sun that was now fully in the sky. The lights that emanated from my mate, warmed me in a way I never knew. I felt whole, complete and shielded by her love.

Kissing her thighs, I crawled back up her body and rolled us so I was on my back. Bella was kissing me, tasting herself on my lips. _I need you, Bella_ , I thought to her. She smiled against my mouth, pulling back. I showed her what I wanted and a look of confusion ghosted over her beautiful face. “You can make love to me, too, _Fíorghrá_. I want you to.”

“How?” Bella asked, her eyes darkening and her smile seductive and predatory. I showed her again and she bit her lip. Finding my hardness, she grasped it and slid down slowly. She was so tight and hugged every inch of my arousal. “Like this?”

“Yes,” I choked out, grasping her slender hips. She began rocking over me, taking me deeper inside. I bit my lip, trying to prevent my foul mouth from rearing its ugly head. Not one of my more attractive qualities, I assure you.

“Your mind is blocking me, Edward,” she said, taking my hands and using her Cygnarian strength to push them above my head. Bella may look like a waif, but with the proper training, she could probably kick my ass. “Why are you holding back?”

“I don’t want to offend you with my foul mouth,” I chuckled, struggling against her hold.

She smiled, her lips brushing mine. _I don’t mind,_ ti’ane _. Do you like it when I fuck you?_ My eyes widened. “Didn’t think I knew that word?” she giggled, her lips moving down my jaw. “English has many ways of describing what we’re doing. Last night, we made love for the first time. I felt it, Edward.”

“Yes,” I panted as she kept her hips moving, taking me deeper and deeper inside.

“Then, just before we went to sleep, you had this look like you had to have me, but I still felt your love. I think, if I’m interpreting it correctly, we had sex,” she breathed against my ear. “Now, I’m fucking you.” _But, I want you to fuck me_.

“Holy hell,” I growled, rolling us. Bella fell onto her back, her hands still trying to control mine. “On your hands and knees, Nirabelle.” She smiled but it wasn’t seductive or kind, but carnal. She licked her lips as she got on her hands and knees, wriggling her behind enticingly. I slid off the bed and gently pulled Bella to the edge. Grasping my cock, I teased her dripping folds. Bella looked at me, her eyes simmering and her spots now a deep purple. With a thrust of my hips, I was buried, balls deep inside of my mate. She shrieked, but her mind was begging for more. So much more.

It wasn’t long before we both screamed in pleasure and I released inside of Bella. Trembling, Bella collapsed on the bed and I did the same. She snuggled against my sweaty chest. “Your scent has changed.”

“That’s because I’m a mess,” I snorted. “I haven’t showered since yesterday. I’m quite pungent and not in a good way.”

“Come, let’s enjoy a nice long bath. I’m certain your muscles would enjoy that,” Bella said, tugging on my hand. “So would my nostrils.” She giggled. I rolled my eyes, following her into a large bathroom that was dominated by a huge bathtub. I wouldn’t even call it a bathtub. It looked like a small pool. It was filled with fragrant water and was steaming. “Let me get some towels. Go on in. I’ll join you in a moment.” I nodded dumbly, stepping into the hot water. The tub was a meter and half deep, coming up to my chest. It would probably be above Bella’s head, but seemed excited to get into the tub. It had been years since I had been submersed in water. The last time I remembered was when I was in my zero-gravity training and we were in a deep pool, wearing our suits.

Bella came back, dropping a handful of towels next to the tub. She had removed all of her jewelry, save for her ring and new pendant. With a sway of her hips, she stepped into the tub and dunked herself in the water. Pushing off the last step, she glided silently through the warm water and popped up right next to me. She blinked a few times and smiled. I arched a brow. I hadn’t noticed it before but she had a third eyelid. “We’re very at home in the water, Edward,” she chuckled, moving to wrap her legs around my waist. “It’s one of evolution’s little flukes.”

“Are you amphibian?” I asked, holding her. She had a belly button and breasts, clearly indicating that she was a mammal. But the third, clear eyelid?”

“No, but we have some amphibian qualities. I do not need to breathe while underwater. The spots act like gills, absorbing the oxygen through my skin. I am and as are all of my people, mammals with amphibian abilities,” she said, her arms wrapped around my neck. “Humans have descended from apes. Cygnarians must have found a way to mate with an amphibian and thus, our species was born. Most of our abilities are ignored, unless they are harnessed. My father was adamant on teaching me to love the water. Charanel is terrified and won’t get in it. He lives for his sonic showers while I find them to be a headache.” Bella made an adorable face. “It’s not good for my ears.”

“I never noticed it,” I said, leaning against the tiled wall.

“You probably wouldn’t. It’s beyond the human hearing range,” Bella explained. “In many ways, we are similar, Edward. We walk on two legs, use two hands, have one heart, one head and bear children in the same way. There are obvious differences as well. Cygnarians are stronger than humans.”

“As displayed a few minutes ago in the bedroom,” I smiled, squeezing Bella’s behind.

“It’s due in part to the slightly heavier gravity on our planet. We also have the spots, which I told you about. They also can display our emotions. Different colors indicate different emotions. Spot color emotional display is prevalent in females while males display their emotions with a glow of their eyes. Men’s spots glow, but only related to their born eye color.”

“Could that be the reason why you turn into a light bulb when we make love?” I teased.

She giggled. “Yes, I do. When a Cygnarian wears white, they are in mourning. When a Cygnarian woman glows white, it means that she is happy, content, loved and safe. Wearing white is a way for the widow or the widower to feel safe and loved even with their mate gone.”

“What does purple mean?” I asked.

“That’s the animal inside. Carnal, feral and out of control,” Bella explained. She bit her lip. “Cygnarian women go through four cycles a year in which she can become pregnant with child. During those cycles, we lose ourselves and experience a sex-induced mania. All we want is to be bonded and to procreate. I think the closest thing I could equate to is a dog in heat. When a male and female have sex during this time, it is truly mating. Rough, animalistic and dirty. They mate as much as they can to create a new life.”

“Did you experience that while we were…” I trailed off.

“No. I haven’t experienced that in nearly a year,” Bella explained. “The doctor’s injected me with a medication to prevent my body in going into that mania. I needed to focus on my people, the death of my father, my brother and trying to save my planet. I couldn’t spend months on end in this _El-lak D’nus._ ”

“What about the men? Do they experience this _El-lak D’Nus?_ ” I asked.

“It’s triggered by their mates. When a woman goes into the fever, so does the man. The fever lasts, for a mated couple, for a week. There is a lot of sex, fucking.” Bella blushed, biting her lip. “If no child is conceived, then the cycle repeats in four months’ time.”

“But we will be able to have a child?” I questioned, wanting to see a beautiful baby that looked like my mate.

“Yes, Edward. But not for another year,” she said. “That is when the injection will wear off. Counselor Aro suggested that I take the antidote so we could produce an heir sooner rather than later, but we have much to do. I would love to be the mother of your child. I can’t wait, really. But my duty is to my people. Not my hormones.”

Her stomach snarled and she blushed. My echoed the sentiment. “It sounds like we’re in desperate need of some food,” I chuckled. “Let’s get washed up, fed and then, I need more sleep.”

“That sounds lovely,” Bella said, kissing my scruffy jaw.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The next three days were spent in various stages of undress. Bella, while inexperienced, was insatiable. I was afraid that she was in pain, but she never complained, only begging for more. Hell, I was with her. I was just as hungry for Bella as she was for me. The mere thought of being out of her arms made me sick. I was dreading going back to the _real world_. The world where there was a race of warriors, ready to attack and decimate all of Forx and its outlying colonies.

Dressing in my uniform, I checked on my mate. She was sad, wearing a pair of tight leggings and a long tunic with a belt around her waist. Weaved into her hair was a different circlet. “I’m not looking forward to this meeting with the Admiral, Captain Picard, the council and Norex,” she said.

“There’s something fishy about Norex,” I replied, wrinkling my nose. “Was he close to your father?”

“No. Norex was born about ten years before me. My father’s mother thought that she couldn’t have any more children, but gave birth to Norex when my father was in his mid-forties,” Bella answered.

“What is the age expectancy for Cygnarians?” I asked.

“The average age of death is nearly two hundred years,” Bella said. “I know that humans don’t live as long, but I asked Kunnan to look into your DNA to see if we can extend that.” I arched a brow. “It is one of the many gifts we can give to the Federation. We cannot fix brain damage because the brain is too complex, but make genetic alterations that can eliminate terminal illness and aging? That is doable. Didyme has received several treatments and she will live as long as her mate.”

“I also notice that everyone looks young. Is that also due to this genetic alteration?”

“Somewhat. We do not wrinkle nor do we get grey hair. Our age shows in our eyes. But it’s subtle. The way you see me now is the way you’ll see me a hundred years from now, save for some more roundness for carrying our children,” she smiled, threading our fingers.

“I can’t imagine living to be two hundred years old,” I snorted. “Looking as I do now.”

“You will be as handsome then as you are now, _ti’ane_ ,” Bella smiled. “Kunnan will have your injection soon to slow your aging process. Unlike Cygnarians, you will age, but the rate at which it is done will be slower. You will get grey hair, but the wrinkles, not so much.”

My communicator chirped. “Picard to Cullen, come in?”

“Yes, Captain?” I replied, tapping my chest.

“We’re all assembled in the council chambers. We’re waiting for you,” he said dryly.

“On our way, Captain. We apologize for the delay,” I blushed. Bella giggled, kissing my neck. “Cullen out.” I cupped Bella’s chin, smiling indulgently at her. “If only you weren’t so sexy…”

“I could argue the same, Edward,” she said, her arms wrapping around my waist, squeezing my ass.

“Stop it, Bella. We’re already late. I want you. I so want you, but we both have a job to do,” I said, kissing her sweet mouth, tasting her. She frowned but nodded. Slightly swatting at her behind, I gently pushed her out to the throne room. We walked to the council chamber. D’Metri and Maralice were waiting outside, along with Jasper and Rosalie. “Is everything alright?”

“So far, everything’s fine. President M’Tak asked us to join the meeting,” Jasper replied.

“I’m checking on Maralice and then meeting with your brother, Charanel,” Rose explained.

“He should be in my suite,” Maralice said. “He receives his lessons from a palace tutor in there. D’Metri, could you escort her?”

“Of course,” D’Metri said, nodding deeply. “This way, doctor.” Rose followed my envoy and we went into the council chambers. Inside, there were three long tables. The Council of Elders was seated at one. President M’Tak, my father and Captain Picard were seated at the table across from the council. The table in the center had two ornate chairs, obviously for Bella and me. We sat down, noticing two chairs behind ours.

“That is amazing,” Counselor Marcusi mumbled. “Your bond…I have no words to describe it.”

“It’s treasonous,” Norex snarled as he stomped into the chambers.

“Norex, you were invited here as a courtesy,” Counselor Aro sighed. “You represent the senate and the nobles of Forx. If you cannot behave yourself and keep your vitriol to yourself, we will appoint another emissary. Murok expressed interest in working with the Federation. In fact, he placed his name to be considered as one of the Federation delegates.”

Norex scowled before stomping to his seat, next to Counselor Caius. “It’s wrong that our _emperor_ is a human. He knows nothing of our world.”

“As we know nothing of his,” Bella snapped. “The Federation fosters these types of relationships. It allows us to learn and grow; to expand our horizons. Or are you so small-minded that you forgot what it was like to have dreams? Hope? A sense of adventure?”

“The damn sense of adventure is what got us into this mess in the first place,” Norex said, pounding the table. “Our ancestors left orbit. They traveled through space and upset the Alphans. Thus, beginning this never ending war.”

“We don’t know that,” Bella said.

“She’s right, Norex,” Aro nodded. “The war has been going on for so long that we don’t what started it. It only escalated when we harnessed jump technology.”

“Couselor Aro, Lord Norex, this is a conversation for another time,” President M’Tak said. “We are grateful for your admittance into the Federation and we are looking forward to learning more about your culture, people and way of life. Now, though, we need to discuss the situation with the Alphans. We sent the _Intrepid_ to your colony at _H’Nan_ because there was word of an attack.”

D’Metri came back, sitting down in the chair off to my right. “Doctor Halé is with Prince Charanel,” D’Metri said. “She’s running some scans.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “Any word about the cloaked vessels? Are they responsible for the attacks?”

“According to the _Intrepid_ , there are no gamma particles in the vicinity,” Jasper said, reading from his tablet. “They may not have sent a cloaked ship.”

“Maybe there aren’t any cloaked vessels,” Norex snorted. “If they’re cloaked, then why would we be able to track them?”

“There are vessels,” Bella said, her spots glowing an angry red. She was filled with disdain and resentment. “One of them attacked your brother. Attacked the _Volvo_. Just because they aren’t there, doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

“You are so idealistic,” Norex snapped. “The cloaked vessels don’t exist. I have proof.” He got up and handed each of us a small tablet with information claiming that cloaked ships were a figment of our imaginations.

“This means nothing,” my father said. “Just supposition, just like the cloaked ships existence. Nothing that is written here can positively confirm or deny that they exist. President M’Tak, I’d like to send the _Volvo_ to assist the _Intrepid_.”

“I agree. You are the only ones who have some proof that these cloaked vessels have been invented,” President M’Tak replied. Norex growled. “Captain Cullen, take your vessel to the _H’Nan_ system.”

“I’m going with,” Bella said, her fist clenched on the table.

“Empress, your place is here,” Caius said, his voice slithery and slimy.

“No, my place is with my mate,” Bella sneered.

“ _Xytiria_ ,” Norex muttered his breath.

“That’s it,” I yelled, standing and glaring at my mate’s uncle. “She is not a whore.”

“Edward, calm down,” Dad said.

“He’s been spouting treasonous garbage as soon as he walked in here. Yes, I’m human, mated to Empress Nirabelle. And here’s my first act as Emperor of Forx. D’Metri, take Norex into custody and throw him into a cell so he can think about what he’s said,” I yelled.

D’Metri stood up, walking to Norex and taking him roughly by the arm. The Council of Elders made no point to acknowledge Norex and Bella was smiling proudly at me. D’Metri dragged him out and once the door closed did we hear volumes of Cygnarian cuss words, all aimed at me and Bella. “It sounds like Norex will be in that cell for a long time,” Captain Picard said dryly.

“He’s becoming problematic,” Bella said, looking at the Council of Elders. “I do not know what to do with him. Could he be working for the Alphans?”

“Maralice, look into Norex,” Counselor Marcusi suggested. “His behavior has become suspect.”

“Understood, Counselor Marcusi,” Maralice nodded. “Commander Whitlock, would you like to remain on the surface to help me? Perhaps read more research about the cloaked vessel?”

Jasper looked at me, his eyes wide. I nodded, smirking slightly. _Is Maralice coming on to Jasper?_

 _I do not know,_ Bella replied. _She is displaying symptoms that indicate that he is her mate. But she’s been mated before…_

I shot a look at Counselor Marcusi. He winked, sending me a message onto my tablet. _Their bond is one of a traditional mate. They are destined for each other, Edward._ I slid it to Bella, who beamed.

“Commander, let me arrange some quarters for you and then we’ll begin working on finding the dirt on Lord Norex,” Maralice said, leading Jasper out of the council chambers.

“Captain Cullen, we need you to go to the _H’Nan_ system soon,” President M’Tak said tersely.

“Understood, sir.” I stood up, holding my hand for Bella. She took it. _Who will be in charge while we’re gone?_

 _The Council of Elders,_ Bella replied. “I need to pick up a few things from my suite. Shall we transport in ten minutes?” I nodded.

“Counselors Aro, Caius and Marcusi, please choose four delegates for the Federation Council, three to serve and one alternate,” I said. “The Empress and I will be back soon.”

“Safe journeys, Emperor,” Aro intoned, bowing deeply. I returned the gesture.

Turning on my heel, I walked to my own suite. I ran into D’Metri who informed me that Norex was ensconced in the palace jail. I thanked him and told him to give him three meals a day until we returned from the _H’Nan_ system. No one is to visit him, not his family or his staff. D’Metri nodded, scurrying to inform the palace guards. I went into my former suite, picking up my bag and a few tablets that had been left by Charanel, describing the finer points of _giju’ri._ Stuffing them into my duffel, I walked back to the throne room. Bella, Rosalie and my father were standing on the area rug. “Are you joining us, Admiral?”

“Yes, Captain,” my dad replied.

Tapping my communicator, “Cullen to _Volvo_ ,” I barked.

“ _Volvo_ here,” answered the transporter engineer.

“Four to beam up,” I said, kissing Bella’s hand that had found its way into mine. “Energize.”

There was a tingle in my belly and the throne room disappeared, quickly replaced by the sleek transporter room of my ship. “Admiral on deck!” the transporter engineer spat. He stood taller, saluting my father.

“At ease, ensign,” Dad chuckled. “My usual quarters?”

I blinked a few times. Bella was the last person who had been in what was usually deemed the Admiral’s quarters. Bella snuggled to my side. “Yes, sir. Rosalie, can you escort the Admiral to his accommodations?” Rose nodded, leading my father out of the transporter room. I followed closely behind with Bella’s arm laced through mine. “You’re staying with me.”

“I certainly hope so,” she giggled. “I wouldn’t want to stay in an airlock.”

“Never,” I cooed. “You’re mine and I’m yours. Where you are, I am.”

“Good,” she smiled, kissing my cheek. We reached my quarters, which were a little smaller than the rooms she stayed in on her first trip. She placed her bag on the couch, exploring my accommodations. “No bath tub.”

“Sorry,” I frowned. “With space being a premium, our quarters are equipped with sonic showers only. If you really want a bath, we can go to the holodeck?”

“It’s not the same,” Bella shrugged. “Though, baths do have their merits.” Impishly she smiled, showing me our last bath where we made love after I kissed her sex, tasting her from the inside.

“Nirabelle,” I growled. “Behave. I can’t walk onto my bridge with a boner.”

“A boner?” she asked, her spots glowing in curiosity.

“Never mind,” I replied, laughing nervously. “Now, we’ve got a three day journey to _H’Nan_. We best get a move on. Then, I need to inform my senior staff about what we’re doing, our mission. Do you still have your communicator?” Bella nodded, pointing to her belt. “Come with me. I don’t want you to be alone.”

“You’re nervous,” she said, twining our hands together.

“Anxious about losing you. Not nervous about doing my job,” I said, kissing her sweetly.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she soothed, her fingers brushing my hair back. I nodded, chewing on my cheek. She chuckled lightly, kissing my lips, barely brushing them. _All will be fine, Edward._

“Okay,” I sighed. Leading her out of my quarters, we walked to the turbolift. Riding up to the bridge, I was greeted by first shift. Commander Braxas was in command of the ship but she gratefully handed it back to me once I settled on the captain’s chair. “Lieutenant Riley, please make sure everyone is on board, save for Commander Whitlock. He will be staying on the surface until we return. Once everyone is back, set course for the _H’Nan_ system, maximum jump speed.”

“Understood, Captain,” he replied as his fingers flew over the control panels. Twenty minutes later, everyone was on board and the engines whirred to life. An hour into the journey, I called for my senior staff to join me in the conference room. Leaving Lieutenant Riley in command, we assembled in the conference room.

“Welcome back, Captain,” Lieutenant Morgainne said, waggling his brows. “Congratulations on your nuptials.” He smirked at Bella. She just grinned.

“Emmett, we need to focus, but thank you for your congratulations,” I snickered, sitting down. My father strode into the conference room, making all of us jump to our feet.

“That’s power,” he laughed, sitting next to Bella. “At ease. I’m merely an observer. Pretend I’m not here.”

“It’s a little hard, sir,” Commander Braxas said wryly.

“Try, Commander,” Dad smirked. He nodded to me and I took over.

“We are en route to the _H’Nan_ system. The _Intrepid_ left for there earlier today due to some issues with the Alphans. Our job is to provide back up and to see if a cloaked vessel is in orbit. Commander Braxas, have you had an opportunity to test your gamma radiation theory?”

“Sending omichron particles will negate gamma radiation, but we still don’t know if that’s linked to the cloak,” Commander Braxas said. “Commander Whitlock did send me some more information, but until we can see the vessel or _not_ see it, I guess, we won’t know.”

“Do you think that the vessel doesn’t exist?” Bella asked, looking at Commander Braxas.

“It exists, Empress. There were four ships following you after we pulled you out of the Alphan capital. When we were fired upon, the fourth ship disappeared, went away but where? The only guess is that it was cloaked,” Commander Braxas said. “The technology is out there. The Remans, distant relatives of the Turulians, use it. Perhaps they sold their technology to the Alphans.”

“An interesting theory,” Dad murmured. “Too bad the Remans are not a part of the Federation. We could contact them regarding the cloak.”

“The Turulians must have information,” Lieutenant Morgainne piped up.

“I’ll contact Commander Laurent,” Dad nodded. He got up, padding out of the room.

“How many people are on the _H’Nan_ colony?” Commander Braxas asked.

“Nearly three thousand left Forx. That was twenty years ago. There must be more, with the addition of children,” Bella answered.

“What are their defensive capabilities?” I questioned.

“Their ship was dismantled as the heart of the colony. They have some weaponry, but nothing to prevent an attack from orbit. No shielding or long range phasers,” Bella cringed. “Alphans must truly be monsters if they attack a defenseless colony. Their scanners must recognize what they have.”

“These Alphans have no honor,” Rose spat. “Based off what they did to Maralice, they don’t care. They are blind, hateful conquerors.”

“Their actions and need to conquer remind me of Klaxons,” Commander Braxas said, her brow furrowing. “But, we bestow honor onto our warriors. We only fight when provoked and if we kill, we must sacrifice part of ourselves.”

“What do you mean?” Bella questioned.

“We drink to the deceased. We have a special elixir, blood wine, which is made from the blood of Klaxon warriors. We all donate for the making of this drink. It’s done once a month. However, if there is no blood wine, our sacrifice comes in the form of cutting our tail, which is left with the fallen,” Commander Braxas said, nodding slightly. “It is to honor the dead and humble the victor. We would _never_ attack a defenseless camp.”

“Therein lies the differences between Klaxons and Alphans,” Lieutenant Morgainne growled. “I’m glad you’re on our side, Victoria. We’ll need some of your bad ass fighting skills to kick these Alphans back to the Stone Age.”

“Speaking of bad ass fighting skills, I’d like to continue the Empress’s training,” Victoria said, looking at Bella. “You showed promise and now that you have a mate, you can kick his ass.”

 _That sounds like fun_ , she giggled mentally. “When do we start?”

“When Captain Cullen is off shift,” Victoria smirked. “Hand to hand combat is quite the aphrodisiac.”

 _Like we need help with that_ , I snickered. “Understood, Commander. Now, assignments…”

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We had been traveling to _H’Nan_. We were arriving early tomorrow morning. I was in the holodeck with Victoria, Bella, Emmett, Rose and my father. All of us where helping Bella train for hand to hand combat. That first night, we couldn’t pull ourselves away from my quarters. Being separated for a few hours while Bella worked with Rose with a treatment for Charanel had strained our connection and we needed to go at it like bunny rabbits. All intelligent thought left my mind as I slid inside of her, not leaving until exhaustion washed over both of us.

“Okay, Bella,” Victoria said, using my mate’s nickname. “I’m going to set the holodeck with a random fighter. Show me what you remember.”

Bella nodded. Her hair was plaited and pinned in a tight bun at the nape of her neck. It was odd to see her without her chocolate tresses flowing around her face. She wore a skin tight jumpsuit with sneakers. Around her waist, there was two scimitars plus a staff that she held in her right hand. She also had some weapons hidden on her, but we didn’t know where. Victoria pressed a button on her tablet and a Turulian woman appeared out of nowhere. Bella dropped into a defensive crouch, holding the staff in front of her. The Turulian pulled a sword from her back, yelling at Bella. In a flurry, they were entrenched in a heated battle. Bella was graceful, moving like a dancer, not a fighter. With a flick of her wrist, four deadly blades flipped out of her staff. With a forceful grunt, Bella jabbed the staff into the Turulian fighter, making her disappear.

Two more fighters appeared in her place, both Klaxon. And male. Klaxon women were small, but deadly. Klaxon men were huge and deadlier. I wanted to go out there and fight them for her. Victoria pressed a hand to my shoulder. “She can do this,” Victoria murmured. I clenched my fists, watching as my mate began her cat and mouse game with the holographic Klaxon men.

Her fighting style with the men was different. She made herself small, parrying with the scimitars. She also used throwing knives, keeping her at a distance from the men. Bella pulled another knife from beneath her belt, slinging it directly into the neck of one of her attackers. While he was distracted, Bella jumped on top of the other, decapitating him.

Victoria pressed the button again and Bella’s attackers disappeared. She was breathing heavily but smiling. Carefully, she picked up all of the weaponry, putting them into their hiding places. “Those men were tough.”

“Safeties were on but they were, for all intents and purposes, Klaxon men. They weren’t holding back,” Victoria said. “You couldn’t have gotten killed, but possibly hurt.” I growled at Victoria, who held up her hands defensively. “Rosalie is right here, Captain.”

Ti’ane _, I am fine. Come and look_ , Bella’s mind soothed. I walked over to her, running my hands up and down her arms, inspecting her body. “What’s next?” she asked.

“I did some research on Alphan weapons,” Victoria said. “They use a particularly deadly weapon, a sword called a _bsh’took_. They also have a dagger called a _dk’took._ ” She punched a few buttons and both weapons appeared on a pedestal. Victoria picked up the _bsh'took_ first. “From what I’ve read, they hold it like this.” She grasped the two handles on the blunt edge. They were wrapped with some sort of cloth. Victoria began thrusting with it, working with the clumsy weapon. “I don’t know how they fight with this. It’s clunky and awkward. The only thing that is in its favor are all of the pointy edges.”

“What about this?” Bella asked, daintily picking up the _dk’took_.

“This is a lot more straightforward. It’s a dagger, but when you press this button, these two talons come out, causing further damage to the victim,” Victoria said, demonstrating with the blade. “From what I’ve gathered, the Alphans prefer hand to hand combat, using these brutal weapons.”

“Do they use anything else?” Emmett questioned.

“They also have these disruptors. They are similar to your phase but only have one setting,” Bella said. “Kill. And it’s just as painful. They take nearly a minute for all of the victim to disintegrate. My father wrote of these horrific weapons in his journals. He even brought one home, trying to figure out its weaknesses.”

“Do you still have it?” Victoria asked, her eyes wide.

“We destroyed it but the schematics are on the Cygnarian database,” Bella replied. “We don’t want to fight. You have to understand that.”

“We know, Empress,” my father said. “Sometimes, against our better judgment, fighting is the only option. Fighting smart is what we’re looking to do. The least amount of casualties, the better. Countless millions have been lost during this war. And for what?”

“We don’t know,” Bella sighed. “For over a thousand years, the Alphans have been our enemy. We only began to travel the stars two centuries ago, but they’ve been a part of our history for as long as we can remember.”

“Do you know when the Alphans started utilizing space travel?” Rose asked.

“No. However, it was the Alphans that made first contact, landing on Forx. We never even knew where the Alphan home world was located,” Bella sighed, sitting down on a holographic rock. She plucked out some pins and her braid tumbled over her shoulder. “The story of what happened during first contact is spotty, though. In some versions, the Alphans are peaceful, wanting to create a treaty with us. But something goes horribly wrong and they turn on us, leaving the planet. In other versions, they are an invading army in which the town where they landed was slaughtered. We just don’t know the truth. The only thing we do know is that they are relentless, vindictive and cruel.”

“I think that we need to find out the truth of what happened all of those years ago,” Dad muttered.

“How?” I asked, sitting down next to Bella. She was agitated and nervous, twisting her braid with her fingers. “Are there stories in history books or fairy tales and nightmares?”

“This is a job for your mother. She was an archeologist and she wanted to learn about ancient alien cultures. She’s still at Forx. Empress, can my wife and Edward’s sister do some research about the beginning of the war between the Cygnarians and the Alphans?”

“Of course, Admiral,” Bella nodded. “She can have access to anything within in the Imperial Archives. I will contact Maralice and inform her of your wife’s research. Are we done here?”

“For now,” Victoria huffed. “There was a lot of _talking_ but not enough _fighting_.”

“Edward and I will make up for it tomorrow morning. It will serve as our morning workout,” Bella said, her spots glowing a seductive purple.

“Ugh, I didn’t need to know that,” Victoria laughed.

“Hey, I’m feeling the lusty vibes from these two,” Rose snorted. “It’s mind-boggling how they manage to not rip each other’s clothes off right here, right now.”

“And on that note,” Dad blustered. “Have good night.” He scurried out of the holodeck, his face as red as uniform.

“Emmett, we need to go, too,” Rose said, dragging him off. Emmett was grinning like a buffoon, mumbling about getting some serious action.

“You better get that workout in,” Victoria said, pointing a finger at us. “And not the horizontal mambo.”

“Since when is your commanding officer’s sex life fair game?” I asked, raising a brow.

“Um, never, sir,” Victoria said, standing tall and her eyes gazing at my boots. “I didn’t mean to offend you or the Empress.”

 _I think they were just feeding off of the joking manner of Rosalie, when she teased you. And yes, we were sending off some serious lusty vibes,_ Bella giggled mentally.

“You didn’t offend, but just remember that we have a job to do and it’s not teasing me,” I chuckled.

“Permission to speak freely?” Victoria breathed. I nodded affirmatively. “You’ve always been so, um, by the book, Captain. You’re an amazing CO and I know that you have the best interests for your crew at heart. It was rare to see you smile. Now? There’s a different aura around you.”

“Aura?” I asked.

“I may not be able to read and manipulate emotions like Rosalie or share the bond like you have with Bella, but Klaxons can see auras or the goodness in people. Before, you kept everything centered on yourself and this ship. Once Bella came aboard, the aura was reaching out for something but I didn’t know what. It’s now that I see that it was reaching for you, Empress. There’s a warm white light around both of you,” Victoria smiled.

“That’s not an aura, it’s our bond,” Bella explained. “You saw our bond.”

“It’s beautiful. I only hope I find someone like that,” Victoria sighed. “I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, sir. I’ll see you in the morning.” Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and left.

“She’s probably embarrassed,” Bella said, leaning her cheek on my shoulder. “If I had to guess, she had feelings for you.”

“Braxas? No,” I scoffed. “I thought she was gay.”

“She was happy?” Bella asked.

“Um, no. Well, yes, happy…I thought she liked women,” I replied, my ears flushing.

“My guess is no,” Bella said with a wry little grin. “And how can I blame her? You’re incredibly handsome.” _And sexy. And…_ She kissed me. _And mine._

“Damn right,” I growled, crashing my lips against hers, causing us to fall off the holographic rock. I landed on the handle of the _dk’took_. “Owwww!” Bella rolled me over and thankfully the holographic blade didn’t impale me, but it did ruin the moment.

“That’s going to leave a bruise,” she said. “Come, I’ll give you a massage.” _Among other things_.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We arrived at the _H’Nan_ colony right on time. The _Intrepid_ was still in orbit. Unfortunately, the colony did survive. Over three thousand Cygnarian colonists were dead because of an unprovoked attack by the Alphans.

“I have to go down there,” Bella said, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I have to see the destruction. I have to pray for the dead.”

“What if there are still Alphans still down there?” I asked, my heart stammering.

“There’s nothing in orbit,” Bella argued. “No gamma things or whatever you think is the link to the cloak. Only the _Intrepid_ and the _Volvo_. I have to go. It’s my duty as the empress to give these people their peace. I’d rather you be by my side, Emperor, but I’m happy to do it on my own.”

“Bella, I’ll go with you. I just want to protect you,” I said, taking her beautiful face in my hands.

“I know you do,” she breathed. “But, I have to be there for my people. _Our_ people. They died on this world because of what the Alphans did. I need to do this.”

“Okay,” I said, crushing her to my chest. We kissed briefly before we walked to the transporter room. It was winter down the planet’s surface, despite its desert conditions. The air was just above freezing. I wore my uniform, covered with a sleek parka. Bella was dressed in a pair of pants and a long blue coat. She had on her circlet and carried her staff that Victoria had replicated for her. Standing on the transporter pad, we waited for my father and Victoria. They were going as a part of our away team. There was also another team from the _Intrepid_. They were scanning for survivors and cataloguing what types of weapons were used to destroy the colony. My father and Victoria arrived. Nodding to the transporter engineer, we were beamed down to the surface.

“No,” Bella gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

There was nothing left of the colony. Buildings were now crumbling into ruins. The smell of sulfur, death and ash permeated the air. From what I could see, there were several impact craters of bombs that were detonated on the colony. Victoria was using her tricorder, gathering information but she was mumbling to herself. I excused myself from my mate, running to catch up with my security officer. “What is it?”

“This doesn’t make sense, Captain. The Alphans thrive on combat, not bombings,” she said. “This looks like a blitz attack, seemingly out of nowhere.” She also led me to a blinking computer console. “The colonists managed to get some sort of shielding to cover their village. If I’m reading this correctly, the shields went down. Remotely.”

“Remotely on the colony or remotely from Forx?” I asked.

“I can’t figure that out. But the computers are linked into the Cygnarian database on Forx. It is possible,” she said.

“Download what you can,” I said sternly. Victoria nodded, placing her tricorder on the computer console and beginning the download. I hailed the _Volvo_ asking for them to send down a holographer. I wanted to inspect these impact craters but not while freezing my ass off. I also asked Lieutenant Riley to make scans from orbit. I walked a few hundred meters, finding Bella in a small building. Based on the bright colors on the walls, it was a school. _Fíorghrá, are you okay?_

“No, I’m not,” she said, picking up a stuffed animal. “These were families. Children. Scientists. Farmers. Engineers. What right do they have to do this?” She looked at me, her eyes blazing with anger and her spots a deep red.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Over five hundred years ago, on Earth, there was an attack in New York City, Washington D.C. and a field in Pennsylvania. It was day that many would never forget. Even now, September 11th, 2001 is infamous in our history books. Several planes, which were like small starships, had been taken control by terrorists. Two of them flew into two tall buildings, the World Trade Center. One flew into a government building, the Pentagon. The last one crashed in a field because the passengers fought back. That day many lives were lost and we didn’t know why. The people that worked in those buildings were innocents, not fighting some war. They were just normal people going about their day when it changed.”

Bella looked up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. “What happened after the attack?”

“It bonded the nation, United States, in a way that most people never thought possible. They fought back against the terrorists and after several years, they won.” I crossed to her and took her hand in mine. “I want to make them pay for what they did here, Bella. This is a coward’s way of fighting. Attacking innocent civilians and children? We need to be like that flight that brought down the plane in Pennsylvania.”

“How?” she asked. “I do not want to cause this. I don’t want children to not know of their mothers. I don’t want to tear families apart. I want a diplomatic solution. No more fighting.” Her face scrunched up and she lost it, sobbing against my chest. I held her closely, rocking her in the destruction. I was angry and very confused. Blazing rage also simmered in my veins. I didn’t know how to handle it.

“Captain, I think I found out how the shielding went down. Where the order was sent from,” Victoria said, looking at me. Her eyes were wary.

“Where, Commander?”

“The Imperial Palace.”

**A/N: Ooooh, cliffie. Who do you think sent the order to drop the _H’Nan_ shields? **

**Now, there are some pictures with this update. They are on my _Star Crossed_ blog and my regular blog and tumblr. Links for all of these are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on twitter: tufano79. **

**Up next will be some answers to the obvious questions, some bonding time with Charanel (I love him!) and perhaps some citrusy action. It will also be in Edward’s POV since you got two Bella POVs with the mating ceremony.**

**Leave me some!**

_El-lak D’nus ~ Cygnarian sex mania, experienced by women four times a year when they can get pregnant_

_Bsh’took ~ Alphan triple edged sword, similar to a Klingon bat’leth._

_Dk’took ~ Alphan dagger, similar to dk’tahg_


	7. Chapter 7

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be some answers to the obvious questions, some bonding time with Charanel (I love him!) and perhaps some citrusy action. It will also be in Edward’s POV since you got two Bella POVs with the mating ceremony.**

**Chapter Seven**

**EPOV**

_“I want to make them pay for what they did here, Bella. This is a coward’s way of fighting. Attacking innocent civilians and children? We need to be like that flight that brought down the plane in Pennsylvania.”_

_“How?” she asked. “I do not want to cause this. I don’t want children to not know of their mothers. I don’t want to tear families apart. I want a diplomatic solution. No more fighting.” Her face scrunched up and she lost it, sobbing against my chest. I held her closely, rocking her in the destruction. I was angry and very confused. Blazing rage also simmered in my veins. I didn’t know how to handle it._

_“Captain, I think I found out how the shielding went down. Where the order was sent from,” Victoria said, looking at me. Her eyes were wary._

_“Where, Commander?”_

_“The Imperial Palace.”_

“That can’t be possible,” Bella said, her eyes narrowing. “Why would the palace remotely disable the shielding around the colony? That makes absolutely no sense.”

“Perhaps someone was pissed off that you were mated to a human,” Commander Braxas answered. “One of Norex’s staff? Or Caius. He’s shady, too. His aura reveals that he’s hiding something. I don’t know what, but it’s not good.”

“Why would they conspire with the Alphans?” Bella growled, her hands balling into rigid fists. _I don’t get it. I just don’t._ She huffed and walked out of the school, clutching the stuffed animal. I could feel her agony, frustration and confusion. I wanted to make this right, fix it but there was no easy fix.

“Was there anything else on that computer console?” I asked Victoria.

“I got it all, including some vids of the attack. It appeared to be a combination of an attack from orbit and some shuttles using their disruptors,” Victoria explained. “I’ll upload it onto the computer once we get back aboard the _Volvo_.”

“Thank you, Commander,” I sighed, leaving the school. I stumbled along the ruins, my heart shattering for the pain these people endured during their last moments alive. Several away teams came down, gathering more information and holo-images for their holodeck to peruse on board. I knew that I was going to picking apart the attack and the ruins, trying to find some sort of weakness of the Alphans or answers to give to the Council of Elders.

We were on the surface for two hours. My father came down, shocked at the damage. When we gathered as much information as we could, the away teams transported back up to their vessels. I went in search of my mate, finding her in the rubble of what looked to be a sanctuary or chapel. She was sitting on a crumbling wall, crying as she caressed the singed fur of the stuffed toy. “We’re the last ones on the surface, Bella,” I said. “We need to transport back to the _Volvo_ so we can go back to Forx.”

“We need to perform last rites,” she whispered. “My people… _our_ people need to be ushered into the afterlife.” Her sadness is crippling. She buried her nose in the stuffed toy’s fur, crying quietly. “We need to perform _H’aaruune_.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“The funeral rite. It releases our souls into the stars,” she said. “It should have been done on the day they all died, but I’d like to do it before sunset on _H’nan_.” Her blue eyes were dull and her spots were a sickly gray. Her mind was beseeching me, begging me to do this.

“What does this funeral rite entail?” I asked.

“For each life lost, we light a sky lantern and release it. If both ships have as many as they can transport down, it won’t take long. The colonists deserve this respect,” Bella said, overlooking the ruins. I checked the sun, verifying the timeline with my tricorder and the _H’aaruune_ rite would need to be done within the next few hours.

“Let’s go back up to the _Volvo_ and begin replicating the sky lanterns,” I smiled, cupping her chilled face. “I’ll contact the captain of the _Intrepid_ to make arrangements.” Bella sighed, throwing her arms around me. Her mind was thanking me, over and over again as she buried her nose into my neck. I held her flush to my body, pleased that I was able to give her solace during this time of tragedy. Breaking a part, I kissed her lips gently before tapping my communicator. “Cullen to _Volvo_.”

“ _Volvo_ here,” replied Lt. Riley.

“Two to beam up.”

“Energizing, sir,” Lt. Riley chirped and the desolate rubble disappeared. We were back on the _Volvo,_ in the transporter room _._ I told Bella to go to sick bay, getting Rose to help replicate the sky lanterns. She frowned, upset at having to part with me, but I needed to make arrangements with the _Intrepid_ captain for the _H’aaruune_ rite. It would be difficult since the man in command was actually a very sophisticated and advanced android. He had been under Captain Picard’s command until recently when he, Captain Data, received his own field command and ship in the _Intrepid_. He didn’t have emotions and would probably not understand the need to perform this rite.

There was a great deal of controversy regarding Data’s promotion. A lot of Galaxy Fleet’s admirals didn’t think that Data was ‘alive’ and that he was the property of the Federation. He had, however, been awarded many honors in science, diplomacy and valor. He was a decorated officer and his near ‘death’ experience on the _Enterprise_ , saving the lives of the families and crew on board from an attack from the Remans is what got him the promotion for Captain. We actually were promoted at the same time: the first android captain and the youngest captain in Galaxy Fleet. It was the talk of the Federation for a long time.

Walking onto the bridge, Lt. Riley asked, “Do you want to set course to Forx, sir?”

“Not yet. Please hail Captain Data and send it to my ready room,” I commanded, removing my coat and striding to my office. I barked at the replicator, asking for a large mug of steaming coffee. The air on the planet’s surface was biting, chilling me to the bones. I needed to warm up. Snuggling with my mate was not option, so I settled for the next best thing.

Coffee.

Admiral Janeway would be proud.

She was addicted to her coffee and that addiction was passed on to me during her class at the Academy on long distance voyages, utilizing resources indigenous to the locale and trade negotiations with species not admitted in the Federation. She was a veteran at that. Her ship, _Voyager_ , the sister ship to mine, was hurtled light years in a blink of an eye into the Delta Quadrant. She and her crew spent almost seven years, working negotiating trade deals and learning new technology to get home. Using a new means of travel, quantum slip stream, they got home in a fraction of the seventy years it would have taken them. The technology that she had harnessed was dissected and we were trying to get it installed in other ships, but each test flight of the slim stream technology ended in disaster. The materials needed to make the drive were simply not in the Alpha Quadrant where we were located. Until we found the crystals that Janeway used in her drive, it would just be a theory, used by _Voyager_ alone.

“Cheers, Admiral,” I said, sipping my coffee as I settled into my seat. Pressing a few buttons, Captain Data’s face was on the view screen of my computer terminal. “Greetings, Captain.”

“Captain Cullen,” he said, nodding slightly. “Are you ready to go back to Forx? We have a lot of intel to decipher and deliver to the Cygnarian government.”

“Not quite, Data,” I said, wrinkling my nose. “The empress is adamant that we do this _H’aaruune_ funeral rite. We need your help.”

“Mine or my crew?” Data asked.

“Both. The funeral rite revolves around sky lanterns, releasing the soul of the fallen into the stars,” I said. “Empress Nirabelle would like to do this ceremony by sun down. It will take less time if we have you and your crew’s help. We need to release a lantern for each of the dead.”

“I fail to the logic in doing that,” Data responded, his face impassive.

“There is no logic. It’s comfort for the Cygnarians,” I explained.

“Why? They’re dead.”

“What about their families on Forx? They need that comfort, knowing that their loved ones have been given the proper burial,” I said. “It’s a part of their culture, Captain. These people died on a planet, light years away from their home planet by a vicious, unprovoked attack. Let’s give them their peace.”

“Understood. How many of my crew do you need?” he asked.

“As many as you can spare. Keep a skeleton crew on the ship and transport down at 1700,” I said. “Thank you, Captain. Cullen out.” I ended the transmission, sending word to Captain Picard and Counselor Marcusi that we would be flying back to Forx in a few hours. I checked on Rose and Bella with the replication of the sky lanterns. Things were going as planned, transporting the necessary materials down to the surface.

Shortly before transporting down, I changed into my dress uniform and put on my circlet of the Emperor. Bella was in our quarters, dressed in a long white gown with blue belt around her slender waist. She was murmuring in Cygnarian, clutching the toy in her hands. “Are you ready, Bella?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said sadly, looking up at me. “Thank you for indulging me. _H’aaruune_ is important in our culture. If we do not perform it, our souls are lost, caught in limbo with no true happiness. It may be a fairy tale, but I need to do this for these people.” Her eyes glimmered and her spots glowed a warm blue as she appraised me. She licked her lips, showing me how we could calm each other once we got back to the ship. I growled, kissing her lips before mentally chastising her to behave. I also promised that later I would make her erotic mental fantasies come true.

Everyone that volunteered to be a part of the ceremony was transported down to the surface. It took ten minutes to get everyone down to the ravine where Bella chose to do the ceremony. It was easily three times the size of the Grand Canyon, but quiet and serene, close to the colony. Assembling close the ridge, we all lit the sky lanterns. There were four hundred of us on the surface. With the still looming threat of the Alphans and Jakob, we didn’t want to leave our ships vulnerable. Originally, I had suggested a skeleton crew, but Data said that we needed to leave more on the ships. My emotional ties to my mate were clouding my judgment. I agreed because it was true. My need to protect and cater to her overwhelmed my sense of duty.

Bella stood on a small outcropping of rocks. Her back was to the Galaxy Fleet personnel. I had sent over what to expect to both crews after Bella told me. I stood next to her as she said the _H’aaruune Ne’irite_ , or funeral prayer for the colonists. Bowing her head, she spoke quietly in Cygnarian before releasing the largest sky lantern. It floated away. Bella cupped her hands to her head and falling to her knees. I let go of my own sky lantern, mimicking her actions. Soon, nearly a thousand sky lanterns were floating in the canyon, dipping and bobbing as the wind carried them.

My communicator chirped, as did Captain Data’s. Tapping my chest, I hissed at Commander Braxas who was in command of the _Volvo._ “What?”

“Sir, you need to get out of there. There was a spike of gamma radiation and it’s closing on the planet fast,” she prattled.

I looked at Data. His face showed no emotion but he understood the urgency. He spoke quietly, informing his crew on board the _Intrepid_ to beam everyone to the cargo bay, using the industrial transporters. “Braxas, begin transporting our crew to the cargo bays. We need to get everyone on board and raise shields.”

“Understood, sir,” she said. The transmission cut out and the hum of transporters filled my ears as the crew of the _Intrepid_ and the _Volvo_ began disappearing.

“Bella, we need to go,” I said, standing up and trying to get her to move.

“No, not yet,” she sniffled.

“Empress, our sensors indicated a spike in gamma radiation,” Data said. “There may be another Alphan attack. You need to get back aboard the _Volvo_.” As Data was speaking, there was a bright light streaking towards us. My eyes widened. It was another bomb. Bella stumbled off her rock and into Data’s arms.

“Get her off the surface!” I snarled. Data nodded and they transported immediately. Bella was screaming. I slapped my communicator asking for an emergency beam out. As my belly tingled, I felt the heat of the bomb before it impacted where I was standing. I was beamed onto the bridge. The lights were dim and the red alert was blaring. “Report!”

“One Alphan battle cruiser,” Victoria said as she darted back to tactical. “It was cloaked. There was a surge of gamma radiation just before it came into view, sir. Once it was solid, it started firing on the surface with photon torpedoes, bombs and firing their disruptors at both the _Intrepid_ and us.”

“Damage?” I asked. “Did everyone get off the surface?”

“Affirmative. You were the last one, sir,” Lieutenant Riley explained.

“And damage?” I reiterated.

“Mainly to crew quarters, specifically the Admiral’s quarters and yours,” Victoria replied.

I glared at the Alphan vessel. The _Intrepid_ had opened fire. “Commander Braxas, fire at will. Focus on their engines. Shoot to disable, not destroy.”

“Understood,” Victoria said. Her hands flew over their console, aiming our phasers and torpedoes at the large Alphan cruiser.

“Lieutenant Riley, break orbit and try to get behind the Alphan vessel,” I said, sitting down on the captain’s chair. We moved agilely, firing at the Alphan battle cruiser. They were firing wildly, hitting our now intact shielding. There was no rhyme or reason to the attack, just random bursts of phasers. Victoria found a weakness in their shield, focusing our fire there. With both the phasers from the _Intrepid_ and from us, one of the necelles of the battle cruiser was blown off and the ship rocked violently. Their attack ceased. “Hold your fire. Report.”

It was near silent on the bridge. The only sounds that I heard were the computer generated beeps and the clicking of the red alert lights along the bridge. “This doesn’t make any sense,” Victoria whispered.

“What?” I asked.

“I don’t register any life signs on the ship,” she said, looking up at me.

“It was sent without a crew?” I questioned, arching a brow.

“Captain, we’re being hailed by Captain Data,” Lieutenant Riley said.

“On screen,” I replied. “Captain, is everyone alright?”

“Yes, Captain Cullen. All of my crew made it safely back on board. The Empress, though, needed to be sedated. She was hysterical at being separated from you,” Data said. “She’s in our medical bay being tended to by our chief medical officer.”

I pushed back my emotions. “Thank you, Captain. Can she be safely transported?” I asked.

“Yes. She’s not injured, just sedated,” Data explained.

“Have her transported to our medical bay, please?” Data nodded. “Now, have you scanned the ship?”

“We have. There are no life signs aboard. I do not understand that,” Data said, his brow furrowing. “Would you like to investigate?”

“If anything, I want to see this cloaking technology,” I said. “See how it works, get schematics. Something to help combat it besides a theory involving gamma particles. Shall I meet you over there?”

“We will send an away team and transport the Empress to your sick bay. End transmission,” Data said succinctly.

“Victoria, please take Emmett over to the Alphan ship,” I ordered. “Assemble an away team.”

“Are you coming, sir?” she asked.

“I will be over after I change out of my dress uniform,” I said. Victoria nodded, darting off the bridge. I went into my ready room, quickly changing into my standard uniform and picking up a tricorder and phaser. Leaving Lieutenant Riley in command, I went down to sick bay. Bella was resting in the surgical bay. Her face was distressed and her thoughts were disjointed and filled with worry. Taking her hand, I soothed her, telling her that I loved her. Her expression smoothed out and she sighed. Kissing her forehead, I left sick bay, beaming over to the Alphan ship, directly on the bridge.

The first thing I noticed was the smell. The scent on the bridge was musky and sweaty. It reminded me of the locker room at the academy, but more pungent and disgusting. The second thing I noticed were the crew. They were all dead. It appeared like they had recently committed suicide. Along their necks, there were jagged wounds from the _dk’tooks_. I contacted Rose, asking her to beam one of the bodies over to the science lab so we could learn more about the Alphan physiology. She could perform an autopsy. The body closest to me was transported off the bridge and I continued my exploration with Captain Data and his away team.

I set up my tricorder to download the information from the computer. As I was waiting for the download to the complete, my communicator chirped, “Morgainne to Cullen.”

“This is Captain Cullen,” I replied.

“Sir, we think we found the cloaking device,” Emmett said. “We’d like you to come take a look at it.”

“Where are you located?” I asked.

“Just above the engineering deck,” he replied.

“On my way,” I said, leaving the bridge. Captain Data walked with me. “What do you think, Captain?”

“I think this is a trap,” he replied, his eyes darting around the narrow and cluttered hallway. “Why would they commit suicide and allow us to board their vessel? It does not make sense, unless it’s to lure us into a false sense of security and destroy us…”

I nodded, agreeing with his statement. “Let’s proceed with caution,” I whispered.

“Agreed,” Data said as we found Emmett and Victoria, along with Data’s tactical officer, Commander Felix Volturi. “Report.”

“From what we could gather,” Emmett began, “it’s heavily shielded. It does not look like it’s Alphan technology, though. I can’t identify it. Neither can Commander Volturi or Commander Braxas.”

“Have you attempted to disable the shields?” Data asked.

“I advised against it, sir. This technology is experimental for the Alphans and based on the amount of dead bodies on this ship, this may be a booby trap,” Commander Volturi explained. “I’m afraid that if we attempt to disengage the shields, we’ll cause the auto destruct to begin we’re all stuck here, joining the Alphans in their final resting place.”

“I could try and disable the shields around the cloaking device,” Data said. “I’ve tapped into their computer systems. The shields for the cloak are heavily encrypted but not indecipherable.”

“Let’s get everyone off this ship. Only you and me, Captain,” I said. “We could work together and get this shield down faster.”

“Sir, no,” Victoria said, her brows furrowing. “You’re no longer just a Galaxy Fleet captain, you’re also a husband and the Emperor of Forx. You should go back. I’ll stay with Captain Data.”

“Agreed,” Data said, looking at me. He tapped his communicator. “All crew members aboard the Alphan vessel, please transport back to your respective ships and raise shields.”

“This doesn’t feel right,” I growled, my frustration mounting.

“Go, Edward,” Data said quietly, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Your commander is correct.”

“I want to know,” I said. “Yes, I’m being stubborn. We will maintain an open comm link to the _Volvo_ and beam out at the first sign of trouble.”

“The first sign may be the last sign,” Data countered. I gave him a stern look and he sighed. “Commander Volturi and Lieutenant Morgainne, please go back to your ships.” They contacted the _Intrepid_ and _Volvo,_ respectively and beamed out of the cloaking room. Data walked to the computer access panel. He tapped a few controls. The screen lit up. He began working quickly, his fingers flying over the screen. Victoria had asked the _Volvo_ to move to a safe distance, but remove shields in case we needed to do an emergency beam out. I logged every moment with my tricorder and downloaded the specifications for the shields and cloaking device.

Data worked on the computer terminal for five minutes, the shield not dropping. However, he keyed a sequence of codes and the room filled with a thick fog. Victoria and I began coughing, our lungs burning. I could barely understand what Data was screaming at me as my vision clouded and I wavered on my feet. Stumbling, my cheek came in contact with the wall before I fell onto the floor. My eyes drifted shut as I felt the tingle of the transporter in my body.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

 _Please,_ ti’ane _, come back to me. I need to hear your voice, see your smile, kiss your lips…I can’t lose you. Not yet. I just found you. Edward, I don’t leave me. I’ve already lost my mother and my father, I cannot lose my soul mate._ Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari. _Please…please…_

I could hear Bella. I could feel her anguish but my mind felt like it was trudging through mud and muck. As much as I wanted to, I could not open my eyes. I felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest and I was aching everywhere. Every inch of my body was sore and my skin felt like it was on fire.

“Empress, you’ve been here for the past two days. You need to get some rest,” Rosalie chided. “Go back to your quarters and get some sleep.”

“No. I’m staying,” Bella said, her voice sounding impossibly sad and rough. “He is my mate. It is my responsibility to care for him.” Her hand ran through my hair and I felt her lips on my temple. “He will wake soon. He is aware of our conversation and very frustrated that he can’t open his eyes.”

“He wouldn’t be in this predicament if he had listened to Captain Data,” Rose grumbled. “He had no business staying on that ship. He could have gotten killed. That gas is lethal. He was very lucky. It could have been a lot worse.”

“I’ve seen that gas in action, Rosalie,” Bella said sternly. “It’s burned the skin off many a Cygnarian.”

 _Burns? I’m scarred? Bella, please tell me what happened?_ I begged mentally, trying to move but it was fruitless.

 _You have some minor scarring on your neck and hands, but you are fine,_ Bella answered, her nose running along my cheek. _Victoria was not as fortunate. The_ em’tuuk _gas reacted poorly with her Klaxon skin. She is currently in stasis while Rose is working on a treatment_. _If it’s possible…_

 _I need to wake up…Bella, can Rose inject me with something to help?_ I pleaded.

“No, _ti’ane_ ,” Bella said out loud. “Your body is healing and you need to stay as still as possible.”

“Damn, I can feel his anger and frustration. It’s radiating off him in waves,” Rose said, her voice moving closer to me. “Suck it up, Captain. You are in here until we arrive at Forx. Another day and then you can wake up fully.”

 _Fuck you, Rose,_ I snapped.

“He’s not pleased,” Bella snickered, her voice still sounding tired.

“I know. If he were able, he’d probably be giving me the finger,” Rose said, her smirk evident.

“Why would he give you a finger?” Bella asked, confusion coloring her tone.

“Not literally. There is a human gesture that is quite inappropriate, displayed by raising your middle finger. It means fuck you,” Rose explained. I heard shuffling and something at my neck. “You need to relax, Edward. Let your body heal.”

I couldn’t even respond as I drifted back into dreamland, Bella’s mental voice coaxing me to rest and showering me with her love. When I did come to, I was still in sick bay. Bella was standing next to me. Her face was incredibly pale and her spots were almost blue. I couldn’t move, but just seeing her made my heart lurch. “Edward, look at me,” came the forceful, but gentle voice of Rose. I blinked, my eyes focusing on my ex-wife. She shined a light into my eyes and I groaned, clamping my lids shut. I heard the pen light click off and I opened my eyes again. The restraint I felt on my body was lifted. “Try and sit up, Edward. Slowly.”

Moving like I was underwater, I sat up. My body was screaming. Bella was by my side, holding my hand and helping my aching muscles to function. It took way too much effort to sit up. I was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. “Report,” I croaked, my voice sounding like I had swallowed gravel.

“You’ll get your report after I finish giving you your damn examination, Captain,” Rose barked. She used her medical tricorder, taking scans of my body. “Do you think you can walk?”

“No. I don’t think so. Sitting up…it took all of my energy,” I said, wanting to fall back onto the medical gurney.

“How is your vision?” Rose asked.

“Blurry, but I can see,” I replied. “Are all of these symptoms permanent?”

“No. You were only exposed for less than a minute,” Rose said. “Anything longer and we would have lost you.”

“What about Victoria?” I wheezed. “Is she still in stasis?” Rose didn’t respond and she turned away quickly. Bella’s mind was silent but I could feel her sadness. “Answer me, damn it!”

“While you were under sedation, the medical officer from the _Intrepid_ beamed over and we worked on Commander Braxas, trying to see why this gas was reacting with her physiology so violently. Sir, I’m sorry, but Victoria died,” Rosalie whispered, her golden eyes reaching mine and tears spilling over onto her cheeks.

“How?” I asked, my head splitting and my heart breaking.

“She had full thickness chemical burns over eighty percent of her body. Her lungs were black from the gas and her brain was liquefied,” Rose muttered. “Even Captain Data was affected. His epidermal plating was burned like your skin. He’s regenerating more to fix the damage, but the gas was highly acidic and ate through organic tissues easily.”

“Have you notified Victoria’s family?” I choked out.

“She has no family. We were all she had,” Rosalie replied. “I have a communiqué into Galaxy Fleet Headquarters about her next of kin, but they haven’t replied. Victoria was standing right in front of the vent that released the gas. You were the furthest away and got the least exposure.”

“What is his prognosis?” Bella asked, gently guiding me back to lay down.

“He will be fine. It will take a week or two to get the residual gas effects out of your system. Your muscles will be stiff and sore, you will experience dizziness, fatigue, nausea and headaches, and your vision will be blurry. I’ve concocted an analgesic to help with the muscle pain. It’s strong and I know how you feel about medications while you’re on duty. However, seeing as you are in extreme pain, I’m keeping you off duty for at least a week.”

“Rose, no,” I argued, trying to get up.

“Edward, you were just sedated for nearly three days. I almost lost you,” Bella said. I looked at her and I saw how this impacted her. She was thinner and her normally luminescent skin was dull and lifeless. She looked as sick as I felt. _I may not have been on that forsaken vessel, but I felt everything you experienced, Edward. Even know, I can feel how much pain you are in. You need to rest. We are a few hours from Forx. Commander Whitlock can take control of the ship while you heal. While_ we _heal._

“Our connection,” I frowned.

“I can only imagine what Marcusi would see,” Bella growled, her spots glowing in anger. She huffed out a breath, pinching her nose.

“Bella, go back to you quarters and take some time for yourself,” Rose admonished.

“I need to stay with Edward,” she almost whined.

“He’s awake and fine. You need to go take a sonic shower and prepare to transport to the surface,” Rose explained. “Besides, I need to speak to Edward regarding some ship business.”

“Will you be alright?” Bella asked, her posture slumping.

“I’ll be fine, Bella. I promise,” I said, reaching up to touch her face. Every inch I moved, my body yelled in pain. I kept my face impassive as I caressed her sallow cheek. She whimpered as she leaned down, kissing my lips softly. She pressed her forehead to mine, whispering that she loved me before leaving sick bay. Once the doors slide shut, I bit my lip in pain. “I’m dying, Rose.”

“I can only imagine,” she said, scanning me again. “The muscle damage is…I’m surprised that you are able to carry on a conversation. Then again, you are a stubborn, pain in the ass. On a scale from one to ten, one being stubbing your toe to ten excruciating, blinding pain, how do you feel?”

“Twenty,” I answered flatly. “But, I have to push through it, Rose. We need to perform the funeral for Victoria. We need the information about the damned cloaking device. We need to stop those fucking Alphan monsters. They are becoming more and more cruel. First attacking the colony, then attacking us as we have the funeral ceremony for the colonists and finally this gas?” I panted. I couldn’t catch my breath. “What happened after we were beamed aboard? Did we get the specs on the cloaking device?”

“No,” Rose replied.

“WHAT?” I screamed, shooting up from the hospital bed.

“Calm down or I’m going to sedate you again,” she yelled, pushing me back on my bed. “Captain Data managed to get the cloaking device off the Alphan ship before it self-destructed. It’s sitting in the cargo hold of the _Intrepid_. We are going to examine it once we get back to Forx with Jasper, Felix and Captain Picard’s tactical officer, Commander A’Lec. The one thing that they can determine is that it’s obviously not Alphan. Captain Data thinks that it’s Reman.”

“Are the Alphans allied with the Remans?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. There will be a briefing once we reach orbit of Forx,” Rose answered.

“I need to be there. Your medical decision be damned,” I said. “This has gone on long enough. It needs to stop.” I fell back, my heart stammering against my ribs. “Can I have some that analgesic?”

“It’s experimental. I don’t know if it will work or what the side effects are, Edward. Based on my scans, it should dull your pain but not stop it completely.” She picked up a hypospray. Pressing it to my neck, I felt the numbing feeling of the medication. Rose looked at my read outs on the screen. “Your heart rate is slowing and your blood pressure is normalizing. How’s the pain?”

I lifted my hand. I saw my hand and was able to move it, but I couldn’t feel it. “Um, numb?” I wriggled my fingers and it was surreal.

“It’s probably too strong,” Rose said. “The titration needs to be adjusted. I’ll check on you in a little bit.” She pushed me gently onto the bed and scurried back into her office.

I closed my eyes, exhausted from the brief conversation I had with Rose and my mate. I must have drifted off because Bella was back, looking a little better, but still drawn and pale. Her fingers were combing my hair. She gazed down at me, smiling softly. “We’re here, home.”

I nodded, taking her hand and kissing her palm. “I can’t wait to get out of sick bay.”

“Don’t you love me?” Rose quipped, packing a bag.

“I do, Rose, but these beds are like laying on jagged rocks,” I deadpanned.

“Everything will feel like that until the gas works its way through your system,” Rose explained. “Probably another two weeks or so, you should start to feel normal.” Rose helped me sit up and I groaned, the analgesic having worn off. “We do need to get you into a sonic shower and dressed. Do you want help?”

“I can do it,” Bella said, her growl barely contained. Rose held her hands up in surrender, pointing in the direction of the shower in sick bay. My mate’s emotions were all over the place. She was upset at Rose’s need to help me, pissed off at the Alphans and their BS, missing me something fierce and was mentally and physically exhausted. Her royal veneer was missing. Bella helped me to my feet but I was as weak as a newborn foal. I was grateful for Bella’s Cygnarian strength. I would have never made it to the sonic shower without her practically carrying me. Bella helped me out of the hospital gown and placed me on the bench in the shower. I was drenched from the exertion. She slipped out of the stall, pressing the button to start the shower. As soon as the sound waves begin, I scream in pure agony. The sonic shower is rattling my bones. Bella stopped it, falling at my feet. “What it is, _ti’ane_?”

“The sound…” I gritted out.

She pursed her lips. “I will be right back.” She kissed my damp hair, darting out of the shower room. I moaned quietly until I felt the familiar tingle of the transporter. My eyes widened. I was being transported and I was buck ass naked, sweating like a stuck pig. When the transport finished, I was in what looked like Bella’s bathroom on the surface. I was in the water, which was tepid and felt amazing against my burning skin. The door from the holodeck appeared and Bella walked in, her face fierce with determination. She dropped a pile of clothes onto the sink and pinned up her hair, removing her own clothing. Despite my pain and illness, I was still turned on by my mate. “Computer, lock holodeck doors.” The computer beeped and Bella stepped into the water, wading toward me. “Is this better, _ti’ane?_ ”

“Much better, Bella,” I said. “The water feels good against my skin.” I lifted my hand, seeing the subtle scars on my forearms and hands. Bella took my hand, threading her fingers with mine. I didn’t want that. I wanted her. With great effort, I slid my arm around her waist and guided her in front of me. She caught my drift and wrapped her arms around my neck, loosely latching her legs around my hips. My arms wrapped around her slender waist, burying my nose into the crook of her neck. She was trembling, tears falling onto my shoulder as she clung to me. _I need you, Bella_.

“I know,” she sobbed, moving ever closer to me. _I feel awful for needing you this badly. You’re hurt. In pain and all I can think of is bonding with you._

I grasped my arousal, staring into her eyes. Using the buoyancy of the water, I slid her down my length and for the first time since I woke up, I felt whole. Her hands tangled into my hair and she greedily kissed me. I was still in enormous amounts of pain but I didn’t care. I was with my mate, my life, my _Fíorghrá._ If even for a few moments, I needed to lose myself in her.

Our coupling was languorous. Bella rolled her hips over mine, doing all of the work. I just kissed her feverishly, mentally repeating that I loved her, needed her. With a deep, guttural moan, I came inside of my _Fíorghrá._ My body was boneless as I panted against her fragrant skin. “Better?” she asked, her own voice breathy.

“Yeah,” I chuckled shamefully. “I just couldn’t…I had to be close to you.”

“It’s our mating bond. Our bodies recognize when we need to reconnect. That was only a bandage, though,” she murmured, her cheeks reddening. “I know that you are weak. There will be time to heal our bond.” _Now, let me take care of you, Edward. It’s my job as your mate to provide for you when you are sick or hurt._ She helped wash me and massaged my aching muscles with her strong fingers. Once finished, she sat me on the bench and toweled me off, helping me into one of my uniforms. “Computer, end program,” Bella commanded and the holodeck program of her bathroom disappeared. I was seated on a ledge, wishing I could feel normal. “Can you walk?”

“I need to eat, but the idea of food is unsettling,” I grumbled.

“Let me get you a cup of _tala root_ tea,” she said, darting to the replicator. “It’s good for an upset stomach.” She placed the cup in my hands, encouraging me to sip it. I finished half of it when I felt strong enough to at least appear like I was fine. I had to survey the damage of my ship, begin the process of Victoria’s burial and look at the damn cloaking device. I couldn’t afford to take time off. I was needed more than ever.

Walking out of the holodeck, Bella and I went to our quarters. Whatever damage that was caused had been repaired. I could smell the new carpeting. I could see, in the distance, the blue-green orb of Forx getting closer. A sense of contentment washed over me and I felt like I was coming home. Bella wrapped her arm around my waist, nuzzling my chest and the same contentment washed over her, too.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Arriving in the Imperial Palace, I was checked out by Kunnan. He gave me a different medication to counteract the _em’tuuk_ gas. He had first-hand knowledge of how to treat it. I could still feel my extremities but the pain was significantly absent, just suppressed by neural block. I was able to attend to the matters that needed my attention, such as the cloaking device, repairs to my vessel and most importantly, planning Victoria’s funeral service. I tired quickly, needing to take frequent breaks but I was not relieved of duty.

Shortly after we arrived at Forx, the _Excelsior_ took President M’Tak back to Earth. The _Intrepid,_ the _Enterprise_ and my ship, the _Volvo_ were to stay in the Cygnarian system until further notice to protect them from any Alphan attack. My family decided to stay on the planet, trying to solve the puzzle of why the Alphans were attacking the Cygnarians or if the Cygnarians attacked first. My sister was an anthropologist, on sabbatical from her teaching position at Oxford. My mom was an archeologist, recently retired from Galaxy Fleet. Their minds were perfect for solving this unsolvable mystery. My family was staying in a home on the grounds of the palace. Maralice made all of the arrangements while we were on our mission to _H’nan_.

A couple of days had passed. Working with Galaxy Fleet Headquarters, it was determined that Victoria didn’t have any next of kin. She was an orphan from Klaxa, both of her parents dying in an industrial fire and no family to speak of. In fact, in her intake papers, she listed her roommate from the Academy as her emergency contact. Lieutenant Lauren Mallory was on board the _Intrepid_ as one of their numerous science officers. She knew about her roommate and was coordinating with Rose for Victoria’s funeral service. While I was working on that, my envoy, D’Metri was working with my new tactical officer, Lieutenant Commander Garrett Anderson, on deciphering the intel from the _H’nan_ surface and determining where the order to disengage the shields originated from.

As I was working in my newly decorated office in the palace, there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” I said.

Jasper walked into the office. He looked almost jovial when he sat down across from me. He appeared to have gotten close with Maralice, though she still kept him at arm’s distance. He seemed smitten with her. Jasper smile crookedly from his seat as he asked, “Have you spoken to Norex since you’ve gotten back?”

“Nope,” I replied, trying to make heads or tails of the damn cloaking schematics. Victoria’s funeral service was taking place tomorrow and nothing more could be done until then. I pushed the schematics off to the side. “Why?”

“I think he’s involved,” Jasper replied. “He had to have been.”

“He’s been locked up since we left,” I said, grimacing as I shifted in my seat. I was due for another injection of the miracle cure from Kunnan. “Hasn’t he?”

“He’s been in a windowless cell with an Imperial guard watching him like a hawk. No visitors, but I think he’s linked to all of this. Can I interrogate him?” Jasper wheedled. I arched a brow. “I won’t be too brutal.” Jasper had a tendency to get answers when it was deemed impossible. His questioning technique was quite barbaric.

“I agree that he may be involved. Regardless, he’s still a noble in the Cygnarian culture, the brother of the former emperor. He’s been spouting treasonous bullshit about Bella’s relationship with me, but he can’t be interrogated like a common thug, Jasper,” I replied. “Wait until after the service for Victoria. I want to be there and I’m not at my best right now.” The medication was quickly wearing off and my body felt like it was being licked by plasma fire.

“That shit is kicking your ass, Edward,” Jasper said, his eyes filled with concern.

“You read the report, right?” I asked. He nodded. “It’s lethal and I’m lucky that I didn’t end up like Victoria, burnt to a crisp with liquid for brains.” I shifted on my seat, trying to hide my obvious pain. “I want to be there. Give me a couple of days and then we can interrogate Norex.”

“Okay, fine,” Jasper agreed reluctantly.

“Also, I want you to check into Aro and Caius,” I said. “Victoria mentioned something to me about Caius’s aura or something.”

“I’m going to err on the side of caution and look at all of the Council of Elders,” Jasper said, adding something to his tablet. “They all seem to have their own agendas.”

“I don’t know. Marcusi seemed to be the only genuine one of the bunch.” He’d been our side since the beginning.

“Even he seems to have his own agenda. This ‘bond’ that you and Bella share. Is it real?” Jasper asked, his voice filled with doubt. “It seems unlikely since you’re human, Edward.”

“I can assure you. It’s real,” I growled, my head throbbing from the volume. I shakily pinched my nose, my medication quickly wearing off, engulfing my body in searing pain. “Look, begin your investigations of the council members, Norex and anyone who aligns with him. Someone must have remotely disengaged the shielding from the colony. Be discreet, Jasper.”

“I know how to hide my tracks, sir,” Jasper replied, eyeing me with concern. “Do you want to go back to your suite? You’re looking feverish and your hands are shaking.”

“I probably should,” I whispered, saving my work on the tablet and tucking it under my arm. With great difficulty, I stood up and slowly hobbled around the desk. I stumbled on one of the rugs. Jasper caught me. “Thank you.” I was so frustrated. I should feel better, but it was so slow-going.

“Did Rose or Kunnan tell you when you can start feeling normal?” Jasper asked as we sluggishly began our journey to Bella’s suite.

“Every day, I’m getting stronger. When I arrived on Forx, I had to transport from the suite to this office. I can at least walk now. Hopefully in another two weeks, I’ll be fine. The medication helps tremendously, but it wears off really fast and I’m back at square one, barely able to walk without assistance,” I panted out. Jasper grunted, nodding slightly as he walked me to my quarters. By the time I arrived, I was drenched in sweat and every bone was in agony. “Please inform the crew to meet in the cargo bay at 1100 for Victoria’s funeral service. There will be reception in the mess hall, celebrating Victoria’s life immediately following. Any crew members from the _Intrepid_ or the _Enterprise_ are welcome to come. Full dress uniforms.”

“Understood, sir,” Jasper said as he helped me sit down on the sofa in the suite. “I’ll keep you appraised of what I find regarding our subjects.” He grinned evilly. I thanked him and he left. Catching my breath, I walked into Bella’s massive bathroom and slipped into the tepid water in her massive tub, the only thing besides the medication that helped with my pain. I stayed in there until Bella came back from her meetings with Charanel and his tutor. She joined me, taking great pleasure in washing my body. I hated to be cared for. Being this invalid was not something I was used to. I wanted to be back to normal and it was killing me to be so dependent on Bella, Jasper and even Charanel. He was quite strong and was able to help me when I couldn’t move, carrying me to wherever I needed to go, namely bed.

Bella and I shared dinner with Charanel after my three hour long bath. Listening to him prattle on about his lessons was a welcome distraction from the sadness of Victoria’s funeral tomorrow, the frustration of the cloaking device and feeling of deception regarding the _H’nan_ tragedy. We finished our meal and Charanel practiced his reading with Bella while I let the medication that Kunnan prescribed me to help me sleep work its way through my system. The pain grew exponentially worse at night.

Charanel helped me into the bedroom. “Feel better, Ed. _Te’une fei’rene._ ”

“I love you, too, brother. Thank you,” I said sleepily. He smiled, kissing my head clumsily and ambling out of the bedroom. I kept my eyes open until Bella’s naked body was curled against mine, every inch pressed against my side. Her warmth and mind were a soothing balm to my weary soul.

Early the next morning, Bella helped me with my bath and into my dress uniform. It hung loosely on me since I hadn’t had much of an appetite and I was losing muscle tone with each day that the _em’tuuk_ gas stayed in my system. Bella forced some _mikraate_ toast and _miranne_ marmalade into me before Kunnan came with the hypospray of my medication.

Under the haze of the medication, Bella and I transported to the _Volvo_. We were going to give Victoria a burial in space, as delineated in her will. I walked into the cargo bay and most of my crew was standing at attention. Sitting on a special platform was a hollow torpedo casing that held Victoria’s body, a Federation flag draped over the top. To the left of the torpedo was a raised platform with a Federation flag, along with a Klaxon flag next to it. Standing on the platform were my father and mother, both dressed in their dress uniforms. Elizabeth was standing behind them, wearing a traditional Klaxon funeral tunic. Captain Data and Captain Picard were on the platform, standing tall and proud.

Captain Data, in his own right, was scarred from the _em’tuuk_ gas. A part of his dark brown hair was missing and his cranial cap was on display, blinking in various colorful lights. His left eye was also damaged. The ocular cover was missing and his robotic lens was clearly seen.

Walking onto the platform, I stood at the podium. My pain was a distant memory. My job as a Galaxy Fleet captain was my priority. I needed to honor one of my valued crew members. “At ease,” I said. In perfect sync, my crew relaxed and stared sadly at the torpedo. “One of the saddest moments in a career of a Galaxy Fleet captain is delivering the funeral service for one of his crew. When we signed up to join Galaxy Fleet, we knew the risks but still joined anyway. The thrill of exploring space, meeting new species and seeing new technologies was an amazing lure. It’s what called me to join.

“Others joined for a chance at a better future, to feel like they truly belong. Commander Victoria Braxas joined Galaxy Fleet for that purpose. She had that inherent thrill of exploration, but after she lost her family on Klaxa Prime, she needed somewhere to go. She wanted a new start and she got that at the Galaxy Fleet Academy. While at the Academy, she gained a new family.

“Victoria sailed through her courses and was quickly assigned to the _Volvo_ as a part of the tactical team. When I joined the crew, she was the associate head of tactical. She kept me on my toes and questioned my authority in many ways when I was the first officer, but forced me to think about things that I wouldn’t have even considered. She should have been thrown in the brig for insubordination, but she saved my life more times than I can remember because of her brash, no nonsense take on security. It’s what I wanted as a chief tactical officer when I assumed command of this ship.

“But, none of that matters. The only thing that matters is that she’s in that tube and not standing with us,” I said, tears filling my eyes. “Victoria would probably call us a bunch of pussies for crying over her death.” The crowd chuckled, knowing full well that was her way of saying things. “She would want us to string up every last Alphan coward that ever roamed the galaxy for killing those innocent people on _H’nan_. They are without honor, she’d insist. And they aren’t.

“Commander Victoria Braxas, though, is with honor. She was a valued member of my crew, _our_ crew. She saved each and every one of us more than once and she was my friend.” I turned, reaching for the goblet of blood wine sitting on a tray behind me. “I honor her by drinking to her life and drinking to her death.” I held the goblet high before drinking the entire glass of wine. It made my stomach churn, but I stood, unwaveringly. “May Victoria find her way, safely, to the Klaxon afterlife, _X’axcas_. Please chant with me, the _X’axcan_ prayer.” Together, we chanted the story of the first Klaxon to reach the afterlife and prayed for Victoria’s safe journey, being reunited with her family.

Pressing a button, the torpedo began its deliberate trek down the short track before it would be released into space. Six Federation officers, as the torpedo slid past them, picked up the Federation flag. Folding it with military precision, they handed it to Lieutenant Lauren Mallory. Lieutenant Commander Garrett Anderson blew the whistle as the torpedo slid into the launch bay. We all stood taller, saluting Commander Victoria Braxas as she began her final journey into space.

The sad thing is that she is not the only casualty of this war. Most certainly won’t be the last, either. I just hoped that neither Bella nor I would become one of those casualties any shape or form.

Would we survive this?

The pit in my belly disagreed, but my mind prayed and hoped that we would.

**A/N: I forgot how hard it was to write and work at the same time. Being off for summer vacation, it’s so easy. I have no schedule, no appointments, no responsibilities. I can write whenever I want, wherever I want. Now? It’s limited to the weekends and evenings. Those are filling up. Fast. SOOOOOO…updates for this story will be happening on every OTHER Thursday. (Though, I’m posting this on Wednesday due to the fact that I’ve got a performance on Thursday this week and will not get home until late.).**

**I do have some photos with this one. You can find them on my blogs and tumblr. Links for all of those (including the _Star Crossed_ specific blog) are on my profile. Please join the _Star Crossed_ blog for bonus teasers and picture teasers. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79. **

**Up next will be Bella. We will see Norex’s interrogation and have some interaction with Crown Prince Jakob. Additionally, I’m thinking we will have some ‘bonding’ time with our two favorite space travelers. Their connection has been a little frayed due to Edward’s injury and the deaths of the colonists on _H’nan_ and Commander Braxas. **

**Please, leave me some! :-)**

_H’aaruune ~ Cygnarian funeral rite_

_H’aaruune Ne’irite ~ Cygnarian funeral prayer_

_Em’tuuk_ ~ _Alphan chemical warfare gas, causes burning of the skin and significant damage to the lungs, muscles and bones. If not treated immediately, can cause blindness, paralysis and death._

_Mikraate ~ Cygnarian grain, akin to our rye and used to make a hearty bread_

_Miranne ~_ _a fruit like a lemon, with a peachy aftertaste_

_X’axcas ~ Klaxon afterlife_

****

 


	8. Chapter 8

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be Bella. We will see Norex’s interrogation and have some interaction with Crown Prince Jakob. Additionally, I’m thinking we will have some ‘bonding’ time with our two favorite space travelers. Their connection has been a little frayed due to Edward’s injury and the deaths of the colonists on _H’nan_ and Commander Braxas. **

**Chapter Eight**

**BPOV**

I was worried for my mate. It had been three days since Victoria was ‘buried’ in space. Edward had become depressed, angry and quiet. He barely spoke aloud. His mental communication had all but stopped. The only thing that he was focused on was Victoria and the cloaking device. I tried to speak with him, give him comfort, but he refused me. Refused to touch me or to allow me to touch him. I knew he was physically hurting from his injuries along with the emotional wall he put up between us. I was in just as much pain as him.

If not more.

On the morning of the fourth day of our mental and emotional separation, I went in search of Rose. She was married to him before. It wasn’t the same as being mated, bonded through our souls. Perhaps she could provide me with some insight on his moods. I found her in the Imperial School, running scans on my brother as he worked with his tutor. Rose sensed me, giving me a soft smile. Her true emotions were hidden but I knew that she was feeling for me. The concern was clearly etched in her golden eyes. “I think I may have a solution for Charanel’s brain damage from the lack of oxygen. However, it may cause his personality to change. There’s no telling until we start the procedure…”

“I do not want to lose my brother,” I said, looking at him, smiling happily with his tutor. “He may be developmentally delayed and forever trapped in a child’s mind, but he’s sweet and loving and I don’t want him to lose that.”

“Let me do some more research. I’d like to take way the possible side effect of the change of personality,” Rose said, closing her tricorder. “Now, you are in extreme pain and seem troubled. Let me guess, Emo Edward?”

“Emo Edward?” I asked. My translator must have malfunctioned. I didn’t recognize the term she used before my mate’s name.

“He’s thrown up walls and is buried in work, avoiding dealing with his feelings,” Rose deadpanned. “Look, Bella, Edward takes his job very seriously and that includes the safety of his crew. He is probably blaming himself for the death of Victoria even though it was a horrific reaction to the nerve gas that was pumped into the room. He loves to be in control. Everything needs to be in its proper place or he’s an absolute mess. The past month has been massive for him with all of the changes he’s endured…”

“What can I do? I hate to see him like this. I miss my mate,” I said, my heart shattering. “Even though we are close in proximity, there is a huge barrier between us emotionally.”

“He needs a swift kick in the ass,” Rose grumbled. Her face softened. “He needs to regain his control. You can help with that. Tonight, you need to have some fun with him.”

“I am not sure what you mean,” I frowned.

“First, you need to take control over him. Tell him to meet you for dinner and follow your rules.” Rose smiled impishly. “Try it. Let me know what happens.”

I furrowed my brow, confused by her suggestion. She knew him longer than I did, but the suggestion seemed wrong, almost. “I will think about it,” I said. “Any other suggestions if that doesn’t work?”

“Time,” Rose sighed. “Edward will get over it, but this was the first time he lost a crew member while he was captain. It’s one thing to lose a crew member that was a coworker, but Edward feels personally responsible for each person on his vessel. The safety of everyone on board is paramount. I can guess that he’s feeling like a failure right now; hating himself for what happened.”

“If anyone should blame themselves, it’s me. If I hadn’t contacted the Federation and gotten them involved with our conflict with the Alphans, none of this would have happened,” I sniffled, my body trembling in agony from being separated from my mate and bearing his pain as well as my own.

“If you hadn’t contacted the Federation, you wouldn’t have met Edward,” Rose said quietly. I dropped my gaze to the _l’rak_ flooring. That was true. Rose took my hand, squeezing it gently. “Despite his self-loathing, I can still feel his underlying love and adoration of you, Bella. I know you can feel it, too. Talk to him. He can’t wallow like this. It isn’t healthy. I’m tempted to send some obnoxiously cheery feelings his way just to get the scowl off his face.”

“Do you know where he is now?” I asked. “Is Edward on the Volvo? I can’t sense him on the surface.”

“I think he’s on the _Intrepid_ , working at deciphering the cloaking technology with Captain Data and Commander Volturi,” Rose said. She tapped her communicator. “Halé to Cullen.”

“This is Captain Cullen,” came the rough voice of my exhausted mate.

“Sir, Kunnan has another injection for your pain management but it could make you drowsy. We need you to return to the surface,” Rose lied.

“I’m fine, Rose,” Edward said curtly.

“Edward, I do not want to have to relieve you of duty,” Rose chided. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard as it is. Technically, you should still be on medical leave, but your stubborn ass…”

“Fine! I’ll transport in ten minutes,” Edward huffed.

“No, now,” Rose argued. “If you’re not transported into the Imperial Palace in thirty seconds, I will relieve you of duty and confine you to your Imperial quarters…”

Edward’s haggard body shimmered down and he was on the surface, scowling at his chief medical officer. His green eyes didn’t hold their usual sparkle. He appeared more gaunt and hunched over. “I’m here. Are you happy?”

“No,” Rose snorted. “Edward, I’m saying this as a friend and as your medical officer. You look like shit. You are hear by relieved of duty until further notice. When you can eat a meal without throwing up and you don’t look like fucking walking skeleton, then I’ll allow you back to work.” She tapped her communicator. “Halé to _Volvo_. Computer, restrict all access to files on the computer from Captain Edward Cullen. Medical override, Halé, Delta-Omega Three-Seven.”

“Rosalie!” Edward snarled. “I can’t _not_ work. I have to…”

“Get better. What good are you to your crew looking like this? Feeling the way that you are,” Rose murmured. “I will examine you in four days. You are to remain on the surface.” She arched a brow, challenging Edward to disobey her medical orders. “Halé to Riley, one to beam up.”

“Ready, doctor?” Riley asked over the communicator.

“Yes, sir. Energize,” Rose replied and she shimmered out of the school.

Edward’s hands clenched as he glared at the spot where Rose was. His mind was a jumble of frustration, anger and despair. Flicking his eyes to me, he scowled. I crossed my arms, scowling right back. Yes, my mate was in pain and deeply saddened by the loss of his friend. He needed to know that he couldn’t push me away. I loved him, regardless of his mistakes.

Even though this wasn’t a mistake.

It was sick act of war.

Cowardice in poisoning everyone on that abandoned vessel.

Very unlike any Alphan I’d ever met. They were brusque, blunt and ready for a fight. These new tactics were surreptitious and deadly, preying on our vulnerabilities. They were also causing a rift among our people. Causing a rift between my mate and me.

In him, I had found my other half, the rest of my soul. Since the death of my mother and the loss of my father in battle, I felt truly at peace when I was with him. Edward calmed me and loved me in his own way. Now? He was suppressing those feelings and it killed me.

He took a step towards me, grimacing in pain. The _em’tuuk_ gas was nearly out of his system, but there were moments where it caused him great deal of pain. Those moments were few and far between, but it was agony for me to watch him crumble. He was strong and proud. Seeing him grasp whatever was closest to him and keep up his weight, it was heart wrenching. He was falling and I rushed over to him, looping my arm under his. He didn’t pull away like before. Instead, he gripped my wrist as he dropped to his knees. His blocked feelings pushed out and the searing pain that I experienced nearly knocked me over. What he was experiencing was tenfold, maybe even more.

“ _Ti’ane_ , I’m here,” I said, gently guiding him onto the floor. “I’m not going anywhere.”

 _Just when I think that I’m feeling better, I get knocked on my ass,_ he groaned, panting heavily and sweat pouring down his face.

“Do you want to go to our quarters and soak in the tub?” I asked, hoping that would soothe his aching body. He growled lowly, anger filtering through our connection. “Don’t get mad at me. It’s the only thing that calms these attacks.”

“Considering that I am unfit for duty, I guess that’s all I can really do,” he snorted derisively.

“Edward, stop,” I snapped. “I know that you are hurting in more ways than one, but snapping at me is not going to bring back Victoria or stop the attacks for the Alphans. We are a team. You are hurting but have you ever considered that I might be hurting, too?”

He looked at me, his green eyes dull. Shame filled his mind and he mentally berated himself, insecurity falling over us like a wet, damp blanket. I stood up, my mask of indifference slipping over my face. I loved him. He was my other half, but he needed to understand that he wasn’t alone in his pain, both physical and emotional. “I am going to stay with my brother. You need to see Kunnan for another injection and then meet me in our quarters for our evening meal. We have much to discuss.”

He winced at the harshness of my tone. He struggled to his feet and walked out of the Imperial School slowly, his heart stammering against his ribs. I bit back tears and suppressed my own sadness, turning on my heel to join Charanel in the classroom. I needed my brother’s happiness and sweet nature right now. Regardless of how bad things got, he always managed to make me smile and give me warm hugs, temporarily erasing the badness of our situation with Alphans. And now, the rift between my mate and me.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

I spent the afternoon with my brother, playing and laughing with him. His tutor was happy that I had joined them since Charanel had been distracted with everything that was going on. We worked on his math skills, civics and finished with a puzzle which challenged my brother. At the end of the day, Charanel wanted to join me for dinner but I sent him with his tutor to eat with Maralice. I needed to have some private time with my mate, but first I wanted to speak with Counselor Marcusi. I needed to know how badly our _Te’atée_ bond was frayed.

Chiming his doorbell, I was greeted by one of his children. She led me into Marcusi’s study, where he was reading one of our ancient texts about our history. He had been working closely with Edward’s mother and sister, trying to solve the riddle about who attacked first, the Alphans or the Cygnarians.

“Empress,” Marcusi grinned, closing his book. Looking at me, appraising me, his smile fell almost immediately. “You are in pain, child. What is wrong?”

“Edward blames himself for what happened aboard the Alphan vessel. He has shut down and has pushed everyone away, including me,” I sniffled, sitting down on one of his chairs. “How bad is it?”

“If you do not reconnect soon, you both will start to fail,” Marcusi said, sitting down across from me and taking my hands. “I know he must be grieving for what happened, but he can’t pull away from you like this.”

“Edward doesn’t understand it. His mind, which is for the most part closed to me, is filled with anger, pain, and frustration. He is not the same from when I first met him. I spoke with Rose and she said that I needed to take control in order to pull him out of this…this…whatever this is. He is so used to be in charge and in control, he was sent into a tailspin when that was ripped away from him. Was our mating a mistake? Was it something that I did?”

“Nirabelle, no,” Marcusi soothed, patting my face. “I saw it. I felt it. What you have was intense, sudden and all-encompassing. He is a human and unaccustomed to what he is feeling. In a way, you do need to regain control in your bond. Like I said, if you do not mate soon, or at least heal your connection, you both will begin to fade away. You will go slowly mad and it would not be beneficial for both of you to be lost. Charanel would be placed into power and Norex will assume control over your brother.”

“We can’t have that,” I snarled. “Edward and his first officer, Jasper, believe that Norex had a hand in taking down the shields from the colony.”

“He was in custody. He couldn’t have,” Marcusi frowned.

“He may have had an accomplice,” I shrugged. “I do not trust Norex.”

“You never have, Nirabelle,” Marcusi deadpanned. “Then again, you were always a good judge of character. If you didn’t like someone, they weren’t worth knowing. You are so much like your father that way.” Marcusi stood up, pouring some _c’amuu_ , a strong liquor, for both of us. We sipped it and I sighed. “Empress, I think it would be best for you and your mate to go someplace other than the Imperial city. Take him to your childhood home, away from all of this. It’s far enough away that you can heal, but close enough that we can transport you back if you’re needed.”

“Do you think that it’s wise for us to leave?” I asked. “I do not want my people thinking that we are acting like cowards.”

“Nirabelle, you have acted with decorum and strength. You gave the families of the colonists their _H’aaruune_ ceremony and have provided them with that closure. Now, it’s time for you and Edward to focus on yourselves. I will make arrangements for a transport to take you to _Ch’ich_.”

“We will leave in the morning. Edward had a flare up and will probably be exhausted from it,” I said, standing up and smoothing out my dress. “Thank you, Marcusi. I appreciate your guidance.”

“My pleasure, Empress,” he said with a solemn nod of his head. I smiled softly, leaving his apartment in the northern wing of the palace. On my way back to my suite, I asked the kitchen staff to deliver our meal to my dining room in an hour. The meal I requested was bland but filled with protein. Walking back to my suite, I found Edward on the couch, holding a tablet, but was snoring quietly. He was dressed in civilian clothes, loose fitting and comfortable. Gently, I guided him onto the couch and covered him with a blanket before going into the bedroom to change into something less formal.

I let Edward sleep until the food was delivered by the kitchen staff. I led them to the dining room, asking them to stay quiet and thanking them as they left. Sitting on the couch, I brushed his hair off his forehead and palmed his cheek. His pink skin was warm and his jaw was littered with his stubble.

“Wake up, _ti’ane_ ,” I cooed. His face scrunched up and he blinked a few times. His jade eyes were unfocused and his mind was jumbled. “I have dinner for us.”

“Not hungry,” he said gruffly.

“Edward, you have lost so much weight. You need to eat,” I chided gently. He sat up, groaning as he shifted. “It’s a bland meal with a lot of protein. It will help you regain your loss of muscle.”

“I haven’t wanted to eat since I woke up in sick bay,” Edward said, pulling his legs up and resting his cheek on his knees. “The food in my stomach churns uncomfortably.”

“ _Ti’ane,_ please?” I begged. Wrinkling his nose, he nodded and stood up unsteadily. In the dining room, we sat down and I began serving us. I kept Edward’s plate fairly empty due to his upset stomach, but loaded it with a lot of meat. We began eating. The only sounds I heard were our utensils hitting the plates. The silence was almost stifling. Breaking it, I set my fork down. “I spoke with Marcusi today after I spent the afternoon with Charanel.”

Edward looked up at me. “About?”

“Our connection,” I said. “Our bond. He said that it’s bad.”

“What does that mean?” Edward asked.

“That if we do not reconnect and reconnect soon, we will begin to fail. We will go insane and…” _We’ll die,_ I finished mentally. “I know that you are struggling with your own issues, but this, _us_ , is important. We cannot lose what we have. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ Do you feel the same?”

“Of course I do,” Edward whispered. “I just feel…” His eyes clamped shut and one lone tear slipped out. “Like a failure. The combination of losing Victoria and this reaction the _em’tuuk_ gas, it’s preying on my worst fears.

“I know I’ve pushed you away, Bella. I’m an asshole,” he grumbled. “I hate feeling like this: weak, tired, pissed off and scared. I have never experienced the death of a crew member, nor have I been injured to this extent in my entire life. The worst I ever felt was when I broke my arm when I was nine. For four hours, my arm was in agony until it was corrected by the bone knitter.” He blew out a breath, pushing his half-eaten meal away. “With this gas, that broken bone is all throughout my body.”

“Edward, I’ve felt it,” I replied, taking his hand. “Well, kind of. Through our connection, which is obviously frayed, I’ve felt the extent of your pain.”

“What can we do to fix that problem? The frayed link?” Edward asked.

Snorting, I blushed and my spots warmed. “Mating,” I replied. “However, with your injuries, that doesn’t sound feasible. Not yet.”

“I’m not completely broken,” Edward pouted.

I arched a brow. “I know that we made love in the bathtub on the _Volvo_ , but like I said, it was a bandage. We need to reconnect like we did after our mating ceremony. Which brings me to what we’re doing tomorrow.”

“What?” Edward asked.

“We are leaving the Imperial city. You and I are going to my family’s home in _Ch’ich_. It is hidden along the southern ridge of the Renien Ocean,” I said. “It will be just the two of us. It’s far enough away that we can rebuild what we’ve lost without any interruptions, but close enough that we can transport back here if need be.”

Edward’s mind was in conflict. He knew that we needed to rekindle our fire. He also hated that he was running away, hiding from the pain he was experiencing from losing his tactical officer. Calling on what Rose mentioned to me, I arched a brow and stared at him. “And it’s not a request, Edward. We’re going and that’s that. Be ready to go by day break.”

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Early the next morning, we were helped into a waiting transport vessel. We settled into the passenger bay while the crew began their preflight tests. Edward was quiet, resigned and sad. We didn’t talk much after dinner and we slept separately, by my choice. I hated every moment of it. I wanted nothing more than to curl up against his warm body and sleep for days, but the distance was _killing_ me.

He was in physical pain. My pain was now emotional. We had to fix our bond.

“Emperor, Empress, we are ready to depart,” said the captain of the transport vessel.

“Whenever you are ready, Captain,” I said. He nodded and the engines roared to life. Smoothly, the vessel lifted off and we soared over the Renien Ocean, riding along the coastline for about three hours. Two hours later, we crossed the Nerak Canal and cut south, landing on the landing pad on the western border of my family’s summer home in _Ch’ich_.

“Do you need help with your baggage, Empress?” asked the captain.

“We shall be fine,” I replied. “Thank you for the safe flight.”

“My pleasure, Empress. When you want to return, just contact Counselor Marcusi,” he replied. I nodded, giving him a gesture of thanks as we disembarked the transport vessel. We stood off the side as the vessel took off and flew away, heading back north to the Imperial city.

“It’s quite warm,” Edward said, removing his jacket. “Almost like Earth in the tropics.”

“We’re lucky. We do not have cold seasons like other planets do. The coolest location is at the Imperial city and even that is relatively warm compared to Earth or even Lapus,” I said. “Now, are you hungry? I had the caretaker fill our kitchen with food and necessities for our stay.”

“A little,” Edward shrugged, picking up both of our bags and slinging them over his shoulder. “How long are we here?”

“As long as it takes,” I replied cryptically. “I spoke with Rose and she said that you were long overdue for a vacation. So, you are on shore leave until we are called back to the capital.”

“I was supposed to interrogate Norex with Jasper,” Edward said.

“It can wait. My uncle is going to remain in that cell until we return, Edward. I do not trust him. I never have,” I pressed. “Now, let’s get settled in the house.” We walked the short distance to the unique home where I spent most of my childhood. Using my palm, the door clicked open. Edward whistled lowly when he saw the interior of the house. It was stark white, but still managed to look lived in. I led Edward up to the second floor where the master bedroom was located. “This was my parent’s room,” I explained as he placed our bags on a chair in the corner. “My room would not be appropriate as I still have bed from when I was a child in there. We wouldn’t fit.”

“Cuddling does have its merits,” Edward quipped, trying to lighten the heavy air around us.

“It does and I miss it, but with your recovery, this might be the most comfortable for you,” I chuckled. “I realize that this is warmer than you anticipated. If you need anything, lighter clothing for instance, you can put in an order for that on this computer console. A local shop owner will deliver it.” I slipped into the closet and removed my royal clothing, putting on a loose, light weight dress that was a pearlescent blue. It was one of my mother’s favorite dresses and whenever I came to this place, it was the first thing I put on. Braiding my hair and removing all of my Imperial jewelry, save for the pendant and my ring, I walked back out into the bedroom. Edward was sitting on the bed, his hands buried in his hair.

“Bella,” he choked out, his eyes meeting mine. “I hate this…I know it was my fault, but I…” He reached for me. Our connection hitched slightly and I took a step towards him. His fingers grazed my leg and I rushed into his arms, holding him tightly. His arms squeezed me to his body and he buried his nose into my neck, inhaling deeply. _I never wanted to push you away, Bella. Never. I just couldn’t make sense of all of this. Our mating, this ongoing war, Norex, the Alphans, Victoria…the list goes on. I love you,_ Fíorghrá. _Please forgive me. Please? Please…_

Pulling back, I took his face into my hands and stared into his evergreen depths. “Kiss me,” I commanded, my voice soft and so needy. He didn’t hesitate and he crashed his mouth against mine. His lips were warm, pliant and demanding. My fingers tangled into his hair as I sighed contentedly, feeling our link heal as our mouths moved fervently with each other. His tongue slid inside, massaging my own tongue. His hands slid down my back and he pulled me flush against his body, straddling his waist. I turned my head, deepening our kiss, tasting his sweet mouth. My body reacted to his proximity and the strength behind his kisses. Our need to mate was bubbling to the surface. _I need you, Edward._

His mouth moved from mine and his tongue traced my spots. _You have no idea how much I missed this, Bella. I’m an idiot. Please, let me love you._ He took my face in his hands, his eyes contrite and impossibly sad. I smiled softly, reaching behind me to unzip my dress. Gathering it up my body, I removed it and tossed it onto the floor, revealing my naked body. His eyes darkened when he saw me. Licking his lips, his hands traveled up and down my bare back, resting on my behind. I traced the planes of his handsome face. His eyes fluttered shut, sighing while he pressed his cheek to my hand.

With a shock to my system, I suddenly had the urge to crawl inside of his body and never leave. Snarling lowly, I tore apart his shirt and pressed him back onto the bed. My mouth crashed against his and I hungrily kissed him. He tried to touch me, but I pushed his hands up above his head. He may have needed me, but I needed him more. My mouth glided along his smooth jaw and down his neck. Running my hands through his hair and along his body, I rememorized the feel of his warm, strong body. I slithered down so I was on the floor and I made quick work of his pants, almost giving them the same treatment as his shirt. He began to protest about me being on my knees. I kissed his thighs, admonishing him. _This isn’t about you right now. It’s about me and I need to taste you. Enjoy it._

He groaned, watching me with rapt attention. His arousal was hard and standing at full attention, growing to three times its size. The skin was smooth and pink, darkening to a maroon color at the mushroomed head. Using my tongue, I traced the light blue vein underneath his manhood. Edward shuddered and his mind exploded in words that I did not recognize, probably curse words in English. “Shit!” Edward spat as he collapsed on the bed, panting heavily.

“What is it?” I asked, scrambling onto the mattress, wringing my hands nervously.

“Flare up. Can you grab the hypospray from my bag?” he choked out. I went to his bag and found a small box. Opening it, I walked over to Edward, loading up the medication. He stiffly sat up, taking it from my hands and pressing the hypospray to his neck, injecting it. Within a few moments, his breathing regulated and his face smoothed out. He placed the hypospray onto the nightstand and reached for me. Dragging me over his lap, he stared into my eyes. “Where were we?”

“I do not want to cause you more pain,” I sniffled.

“I’m fine and will be for at least three hours,” he said, his voice rough and deep. “Feeling you, touching you…I need you. You need me. My pain that I was feeling was increased from the pain of not being with you and that was my own damn fault. You are my miracle cure.” He kissed me deeply, pressing me against his still hard manhood. Languidly, rolled my hips over him before I pushed him back on the bed.

“Then, I still get my taste,” I purred, engulfing his hardness inside of my mouth. His eyes darkened as he gazed down at me, relishing and worshiping his body. After a few moments, his body stiffened and his release coated my throat. He was mentally chastising himself for not lasting longer, enjoying the experience. Licking him clean, I snuggled to his side and traced his tattoo on his ribs. “How are you feeling now?”

“Amazing, but a little embarrassed,” he chuckled. “That felt so good that I came really quickly.” _Your mouth and tongue…it felt like complete euphoria as you tasted me,_ Fíorghrá. “Now, it’s my turn…”

“Edward, you do not need to worry about me,” I said, my pale skin erupting in a warm blush.

“Bella, I can feel your pain now. It’s empty and hollow. I want to do this. I want to make that pain go away, _Fíorghrá._ Besides, there is nothing more erotic than tasting your sweet nectar,” he growled, his mind reeling at the thought. He kissed me and gently guided me to the pillows at the headboard. Once I was settled, he ran his tongue along my spots behind my ear and tracing them down my neck. I whimpered, feeling my body become over excited with arousal. Wrapping his lips around my nipple, he slid his hand between my legs. _So wet, Nirabelle. Who makes you this wet?_

“Y-you,” I stammered, watching his tongue flick my nipple. I spread my legs further apart, allowing him more access. He pressed two of his fingers inside of me, circling his thumb along my sensitive bundle of nerves at the entrance to my sex. Nipping down my body, he finally settled between my legs, his lips millimeters away from my leaking body. His green eyes moved from mine to where he was slowly pumping his hand. My fingers tangled into his hair, wanting him to lick me.

 _No need to beg, Empress. I will give you want you need. What you desire,_ he crooned mentally, his nose tracing along my inner thigh. With an open mouthed kiss, he suckled on my leg before finally running his tongue along my sex. I screamed, pressing my head back into the pillows. His mouth was moving reverently, slowly as he took his time tasting every inch of my body. His fingers were holding my folds apart as he languorously brought me closer and closer to my release. His mind was coaxing me, urging me to let go. Like him, I didn’t want these feelings that I was experiencing to stop. We had been in pain for so long; feeling pleasure was the sweetest torture.  

Emanating from my belly, a warmth began to grow inside of me. I gasped at how wonderful it felt. Edward kept his mouth on me, increasing his movements on my nub. The warmth intensified and it was pulsing with each heartbeat. I was squirming, writhing on the bed. My legs as far as they could be spread, needing more. I desperately wanted to feel Edward’s length inside of me. He said that he wanted to taste me as I had my orgasm. Panting shallowly, I rocked my hips against his mouth. He growled lowly, slipping in two fingers inside and curling them in me. With the vibrations of his voice, the movement of his fingers and the slick feeling of his tongue, I imploded with pleasure. Waves of absolute happiness and ecstasy pulsated out of me. I screamed, clawing my fingers in Edward’s hair before slumping onto the bed.

He crawled up my body, kissing my belly until he reached my lips. Devouring my mouth, he rolled us so he was on his back and I was perched on his lap. I ground into his renewed arousal. He grunted. _Bella, you were begging for me to be inside of you while I was fucking you with my tongue. I need to feel your body wrapped around me. Please,_ Fíorghrá, _make love to me._  

I pulled back and stared at him. There was a hint of embarrassment in his eyes. He was still weak and unable to take me like he wanted. I didn’t care. I could feel our bond healing with each moment our skin was in contact with each other. Lining up his manhood with my sex, I smiled softly at him. Using a human phrase, I slid down, “I love you, Edward.” His arousal filled me and I nearly sobbed with happiness. I could feel my spots glow with a warm white light. Helping him sit up, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him gently, rocking over him, taking his body inside of mine. His arms were clutching me, helping me move as he nipped at my lips. We were so close that I didn’t know where he ended and I began.

Too soon, the feeling of ecstasy began to build between us and Edward cupped my face. His mind was chanting his unending love for me and numerous apologies for pushing me away. I accepted them readily, saying that he was showing me how he felt with our mating, our bond. He kissed me deeply as his length grew inside of me. He growled deeply, begging me to come with him. I merely nodded, scratching my fingernails down his back as the muscles between my legs clenched around him, my arousal spilling down him. Edward pulled away and I could see a subtle glow in his green eyes. His mouth hung open and he was pleading for release. With a harsh kiss, we fell over the edge together, clinging to each other as his body filled mine with his orgasm.

I slowed my moving, laying my head on his shoulder and sighing contentedly. He tightened his arms around me and he pressed soft kisses to my forehead. “I am sorry, Bella. I know that…” _I shouldn’t have ever pushed you away. Please, please forgive me_.

“I already have,” I whispered, pushing him onto the bed. “What you experienced was incredibly painful, both emotionally and physically. I hated to see you so upset and in so much agony. When you hurt, I hurt.” I kissed his plump lips gently. “Now, rest, _ti’ane_. That was exhausting for you and I do not want you to be worn out for later.”

“What’s later?” he asked, his eyes darkening with desire.

“More of this, but in the pool,” I giggled.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We were left alone for nearly a week. Edward and I made love in nearly every room of the summer home in _Ch’ich._ By far our favorite location to make love was in the massive pool overlooking the Renien Ocean. In addition to our bond healing, Edward was almost back to his pre-gas self. He found the gym my father kept in the basement of the house and made good use of it, rebuilding the lost muscle.

The only interruption we had was when Rose transported to give Edward a physical. Kunnan was with her, checking to see if the gas had completely left his system. Thankfully, it had and Edward was given a clean bill of health, fit to return to duty once we got back from _Ch’ich._ Rose said that the _Intrepid_ and the _Enterprise_ were patrolling the system, watching for rogue Alphan ships. They had cracked the code of the cloaking device and now knew what to look for. We could remain in my summer home for another two weeks, but I knew Edward was anxious to get back to the _Volvo._

I was also anxious to get back to the Imperial city. Our idyll had been exactly what the doctor ordered, but our responsibilities were still waiting for us. Jasper was chomping at the bit to interrogate my uncle, but would not do so without Edward. There were things that I needed to address regarding reparations for the families of the _H’nan_ colonists, but were tabled until my return. We also needed to finish choosing the delegation for the Federation so they could return to Earth on the Enterprise.

Once Rose and Kunnan left, Edward and I decided to give ourselves three more days in _Ch’ich_ and then contact the transport vessel to fly us back. We could use the transporter, but the nearly six hours on the ship was relaxing and Edward mentioned something about joining the ‘Mile High Club.’ I didn’t know what he was talking about, but based on the sexy, smarmy grin he wore, it probably included both of us being naked and mating on the transport vessel.

The evening before we were to leave our secret hideaway, Edward said that he wanted to take me on a picnic. “We’re mated, bonded for the rest of our lives and I have yet to take you on a date,” Edward quipped, slinging a bag over his shoulder.

“A date?” I asked.

“It’s a custom on Earth. When a guy is interested in a girl, they go out, getting to know each other. Our relationships are not as cut and dry as Cygnarian’s imprinting. We have to try people on for size to see if they are the right one for us,” Edward explained, leading me away from the house and toward a private beach. “Now, we may be mated, but that doesn’t mean that I should slack off in by denying my _Fíorghrá_ these dates.”

“That sounds really sweet,” I said, threading my fingers with his. “What happened if you hit it off?”

“Then a second date would happen. If things continued, then you’d become exclusive with the girl or guy,” Edward shrugged.

“Did you go on many of these dates?” I asked.

“Not too many. I was very focused on my studies. I knew from a young age that I wanted to join Galaxy Fleet,” Edward shrugged. “Prior to Rose, I had only one other girlfriend, a human girl named Tessa. We didn’t last long because she didn’t want me to join Galaxy Fleet. Instead, she wanted me join her father’s law firm. That was not my dream. I always wanted to explore the stars. Not sit behind a desk.

“We tried to make it work, but her fear of me leaving the solar system overrode our feelings and we split up.” He pulled out a blanket once we reached the beach and spread it on along the pink sand. “What about you? Did you have any secret admirers?”

I giggled, sitting down on the blanket. “No. Unless you were mated, you did not interact with members of the other gender. The only other males that I saw besides my father and brother were the council members. Even my security team was comprised of female guards.”

“Is it like that with all Cygnarians?” Edward questioned.

“Not so much. They were stringent on keeping me separated from males because I am a royal. My parents needed to ensure that I mated with another noble. Additionally, noble families also do the same in separating males and females. The rest of the population, they do not follow the same guidelines,” I said, removing my sandals.

“And that’s why Norex was so dead set against our union,” Edward surmised.

“Right. You are not Cygnarian, nor are you a member of the Cygnarian nobility. My deceased imprint was the son of one the governors of the northern continent, _Tu’uascn_ ,” I said. “Norex tried to push for my mating with their youngest son, but he was in diapers when his older brother was killed. Besides, a test indicated that we wouldn’t have been a compatible match either.”

“Will Charanel be mated?” Edward whispered, setting out various containers of food.

“I do not know. We’ve tried to explain to him the mating bond and the phenomenon of imprinting, but he’d wrinkle his nose at touching a girl that wasn’t me or Maralice. He doesn’t understand,” I said sadly. “Now, what else happens on dates?”

Edward laughed, running his hand through his highlighted hair. It had brightened from being in the sun nearly every day since our arrival. His skin had also darkened slightly, with some spots littered across his nose. He called them freckles. “Usually on first dates, it’s awkward conversation about their lives and long silences. As the relationship continues, the conversations can include everything from mundane things about work to funny stories with friends. If they’re lucky though, at the end of the first date, there’s a kiss.”

I leaned forward, brushing my lips with his. “Like that?” I giggled.

“Hmmm, yep,” he purred, brushing my curled hair away from my face and kissing me ever so softly.

“I think I like dating,” I smiled against his mouth.

“Dating is great, but mating is better,” he said, pulling me into his lap and wrapping his arms around my waist. “I love the idea that you’re mine and that I’m yours.”

 **“** _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,”_ I whispered, snuggling into his arms.

 **“** _Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari,_ ” he replied. We sighed, watching the sun begin to dip below the horizon. We took turns nibbling the finger foods we made until the sky was only lit up by a sprinkling of stars and the two Cygnarian moons. Edward pulled out a tricorder, punching in a few codes and grinning crookedly. Reaching into his bag, he took out a telescope. “I want to show you something, Bella.” He pressed his eye up to the lens. “Come here…”

“What?” I asked, looking through the viewfinder.

“Do you see the set of three stars, in a straight line?” Edward asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“The one in the middle, that’s the earth’s sun,” Edward whispered.

“How far away is it?” I murmured.

“A hundred light years. About a three week trek from here on the Volvo,” Edward said. “I know that I am now the emperor of Forx, but I do want to take you to my home planet once all of this is done.”

“I’d love that,” I smiled, looking at him. He looked so nervous, but he relaxed when I agreed to go. Biting my lip and my spots glowing a warm purple, I crawled back and pushed Edward onto the blanket. “Have you ever mated on a beach?”

“No, but there’s a first time for everything,” he growled, pulling me down to his mouth and kissing me hungrily. Just as his hand was about to cup my rear end, his communicator chirped from the bag. Sitting up, he reached inside, tapping it. “Cullen.”

“Sir, we hate to interrupt, but you and Empress Nirabelle need to transport back to the palace,” Jasper’s voice said quietly. “The palace tried to reach you at the house, but you were not responding to hails.”

“We were not in the house, Commander,” Edward retorted, keeping me on his lap. “What’s up?”

“You just need to come back, Captain,” Jasper sighed.

“Understood. Give us about fifteen minutes to clean up and we’ll contact you,” Edward grumbled. “Cullen out.”

We put the telescope away and loaded up the bag with the food containers. Walking briskly, we made it back to the house and went about gathering our belongings and locking things up. Twenty minutes later, Edward contacted the Volvo and we were transported back to the Imperial Palace, in the center of the throne room. Maralice and D’Metri were waiting for us, guiding us into the command center of the palace. Jasper and the new tactical officer, Lt. Commander Garrett were looking at a recording. The Council of Elders were watching as well.

“Report,” Edward said curtly, falling back into his role as captain.

“We just received this message from Crown Prince Jakob,” Jasper explained, pressing a few controls and Jakob’s evil sneer filling the screen. Another button was pressed and the resonant tone of my arch enemy filled the room.

“You are quite resilient, Empress. I’ve tried to kill you on three separate occasions and each time, you manage to slip away. The first was on Lapus. How you got that message up to that weakling captain is beyond me. The second was on that ridge on the colony in _H’nan_. The third attempt was aboard that Alphan vessel. You just won’t die.”

He tented his fingers, running his talons together. “I will kill you, though, Nirabelle. You and your weakling, human mate. Only after I tear you apart. I will feel you. Your _funoch_ will be ripped to shreds when I am done with you.”

His face morphed into an evil smile. “I bet you are wondering how I am one step ahead of you, Empress. I’ll give you one hint, _b’tak_. You have a traitor in your midst. When the time is right, their identity will be revealed. Until then, I promise to terrorize you as often as I can. What I did on _H’nan_ is nothing compared to what I have planned for Forx. And you will never know what hit you, Empress. You will be the ruler of ash and death. _Oo-out!_ ”

I was trembling, terrified of the obvious threat made by Jakob. The last thing I remember was Edward’s arms around me and his mind frantically calling for mine as I slipped into unconsciousness, scared out of my mind.

**A/N: So, this chapter kind of got away from me. In a good way, I hope. Originally, I had planned for the interrogation of Norex to happen in this chapter, but it would lend itself better in EPOV. You did, however, get some lemonade (and probably would have gotten more if it weren’t for that stupid Jakob…)**

**I do have some pictures with this chapter. They are found on my Tufano79 blog, Star Crossed blog and tumblr. Links for all of those are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79.**

**Now, who do you think is the traitor? Leave me some guesses...along with some lovin…**

_L’rak ~ an iridescent marble, akin to travertine and granite. Extraordinarily expensive on Forx_

_Funoch ~ Alphan swear word, pussy_.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Nine**

**BPOV**

_Twenty minutes later, Edward contacted the Volvo and we were transported back to the Imperial Palace, in the center of the throne room. Maralice and D’Metri were waiting for us, guiding us into the command center of the palace. Jasper and the new tactical officer, Lt. Commander Garrett were looking at a recording. The Council of Elders were watching as well._

_“Report,” Edward said curtly, falling back into his role as captain._

_“We just received this message from Crown Prince Jakob,” Jasper explained, pressing a few controls and Jakob’s evil sneer filling the screen. Another button was pressed and the resonant tone of my arch enemy filled the room._

_“You are quite resilient, Empress. I’ve tried to kill you on three separate occasions and each time, you manage to slip away. The first was on_ Lapus _. How you got that message up to that weakling captain is beyond me. The second was on that ridge on the colony in_ H’nan _. The third attempt was aboard that Alphan vessel. You just won’t die.”_

 _He tented his fingers, running his talons together. “I will kill you, though, Nirabelle. You and your weakling, human mate. Only after I tear you apart. I will feel you. Your_ funoch _will be ripped to shreds when I am done with you.”_

 _His face morphed into an evil smile. “I bet you are wondering how I am one step ahead of you, Empress. I’ll give you one hint,_ b’tak _. You have a traitor in your midst. When the time is right, their identity will be revealed. Until then, I promise to terrorize you as often as I can. What I did on_ H’nan _is nothing compared to what I have planned for_ Forx _. And you will never know what hit you, Empress. You will be the ruler of ash and death._ Oo-out _!”_

_I was trembling, terrified of the obvious threat made by Jakob. The last thing I remember was Edward’s arms around me and his mind frantically calling for mine as I slipped into unconsciousness, scared out of my mind._

**EPOV**

“Nirabelle?” I whispered, catching her as she slumped. Guiding her to the ground, I clutched her to my body. “Nirabelle! Wake up, love. Please?”

Rose walked over, using a tricorder to run a scan. “Her heart rate is elevated and her mind is running a mile a minute. I can feel her terror, Captain.”

“Jakob’s face and his threats are running on a loop in her mind,” I said, pulling her closer to me. I looked up at Counselor Marcusi. “We need to pull back Cygnarian forces from the Alphan border, tighten up our defenses. We need to protect the planet from any attacks.”

“I’ll contact our fleet commanders, requesting them to return to Forx,” Marcusi nodded.

“Commander Whitlock, I need you hail any nearby Federation vessels. We need as much backup as we can,” I directed. I looked to my father who had joined us at the end of the message from Jakob. “Is that okay, Admiral?”

“Whatever you need, Emperor,” my father said.

“I’m still a Galaxy Fleet captain,” I retorted.

“Right now, you are speaking as the Emperor of Forx,” Maralice explained. “Empress Nirabelle is not in any shape to make any decisions, Emperor.” I looked down at my mate, who was so fragile in my arms. I pressed my forehead to hers, wishing she would wake up. This wasn’t just _my_ decision. It was hers as well. I pressed my lips to her soft, fragrant skin.

“What is the protocol for a situation like this?” I asked, looking up to Maralice and D’Metri.

“Assemble the governors and nobles for a symposium regarding the matter. We need to strategize a plan of attack,” D’Metri replied. “Shall I contact them?”

“Yes, please,” I nodded. “Ask that they get here as quickly as possible.”

“I’ll arrange for the symposium to happen first thing tomorrow morning, Emperor,” D’Metri said, bowing deeply before striding out of the throne room.

“Maralice, please get Kunnan and have him meet us in the Empress’s quarters and contact all of the remaining Galaxy Fleet senior staff, asking them to join me in my quarters here on the surface. I need to debrief my crew. Meeting in an hour,” I said, picking up Bella from the ground. I was still weakened by my bout with the _em’tuuk_ gas, but I needed to keep my mate close. Her mind was now filled with terror, flashes of what could happen invading her subconscious. Her beautiful face was pinched and tears were flowing from her closed eyes. With a grunt, I carried my mate out of the throne room and into her private quarters, closing the door. I sank onto the couch, holding her to me, nuzzling her hair. _Nirabelle, listen to my voice. Focus on me, love. Please…come back to me._

She didn’t respond. Cygnarian words were repeating in her mind followed by imagined visions of her dead father, her brother maimed beyond all recognition and my own corpse, staring lifelessly up at her, waxy and pale.

“Emperor,” called Jerasse, one of Bella’s hand maidens, from the entrance of the suite. “Kunnan is here, sir.”

“Thank you,” I muttered, looking up at the tall, bald doctor who had treated my _em’tuuk_ gas exposure. He glided in, sitting down on the chair closest to where I was holding Bella. “Her mind is reeling, Kunnan. It’s a never ending cycle of nightmarish visions. What could happen and what has happened. ”

“She must be terrified,” he whispered. “However, if she stays inside of herself, she could be permanently trapped within her own mind, her worst nightmares becoming her reality while her body withers away. It’s called _zi’tkm_ , or what you would consider to be a catatonic state.”

“How do we get her out of it?” I asked.

“Only her mate can successfully breach her mind. You need to coax her out of her _zi’tkm_. However, I know that is not feasible at this moment since you need to meet with your crew and the Assembly of Nobles,” Kunnan said. “I can sedate her. It will stop her mind from looping her most terrifying nightmares. When the sedation wears off, you need to be with her, love her and soothe her mind with yours. Your doctor, Dr. Halé, who is an empath, will greatly help in that venture. She can amplify your emotions and wrap the empress in what she needs.”

“Speak with Dr. Halé and make arrangements for as soon as we’re done with our debriefing. Also, please ask for Maralice to stay with Empress Nirabelle. I want her to be surrounded by those who truly love her,” I said, nuzzling her soft cheek. “ _Fíorghrá,_ I will be back as soon as I can. I love you so much. Please come back to me.” Kunnan reached into his bag and pressed his hypospray to Bella’s neck. Her nightmarish visions disappeared from my mind. She slumped into my arms and her face evened out, but still looked troubled. “Keep me appraised of anything that happens, Kunnan.”

“I will, Emperor,” he said, bowing deeply. “Do you want her to be in her bed?”

“Yes. I’ll carry her,” I said curtly. My need to protect her was overwhelming and I didn’t want anyone touching her but me. Scooping her in my arms, I carried her to our bed and I gently laid her onto the white, fluffy sheets. Brushing her hair away from her face, I kissed her lips. **“** _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ I’ll be back as soon as I can, love. I promise.”

Once Maralice arrived with Charanel, I left for my office. I needed to be strong for Bella, for Forx. What I did, as of right now, would determine the future of the planet. It scared me to no end. Commanding a Federation vessel was something that I was familiar with, what I was comfortable with. I had been a part of Galaxy Fleet for as long as I could remember. I grew up on a Federation vessel. Leading an entire planet? I was not ready for the ramifications of what I was stepping into. I was not a Cygnarian. I was a human, who for all intents and purposes, was not well-liked due to my mating to Nirabelle. What right do I have to make decisions for these people?

Arriving at my office, I was grateful that the senior staffs from the _Enterprise,_ the _Intrepid_ and the _Volvo_ were seated inside. I looked to Captain Data and Captain Picard, along with my father, needing some advice. “Thank you for being prompt. Have you contacted nearby vessels?”

“We have six ships near the Turulian border that are heading toward Alphan space. Five more are going to stand with us in Cygnarian space, guarding Forx. The _Defiant_ is going to be standing by to pick up the colonists near the _Cygnari_ nebula, shuttle them back to Forx. Plus, we have several War Fleet ships that are going to do some recon in Reman territory,” Captain Picard said, reading from his tablet.

“The cloaking device is definitely Reman and was taken from a prototype of the _Scimitar,_ the ship that attacked the _Enterprise_ a couple of years ago,” Captain Data confirmed.

“Was it taken by force or was this technology shared willingly?” I asked. I was curious of the Remans were truly the Alphan’s ally or another victim of their scourge. It didn’t makes sense.

“The cloaking device had damage sustained to it. That could have occurred when it was integrated into the Alphan ship’s systems or when it was removed from the bulkhead a couple of weeks ago,” Commander Volturi said. “For all we know, the Remans may have given the prototype to the Alphans when the _Scimitar’s_ predecessor was scrapped.”

I scrubbed my face. “What would the Remans have gained by helping the Alphans? Another ally? They don’t interact with any other species besides the Romulans and occasionally the Turulians. The Remans are xenophobic.”

“We don’t know. That’s why we’re sending several stealth ships to do some reconnaissance on Remus,” Jasper said. “Hopefully, we can access their database, figuring out what their motivation was in giving the Alphans the cloak or if it was stolen. If that’s the case, the Remans would probably join in the fight…”

“It’s highly unlikely they’ll help,” Captain Picard chimed in.

“I agree,” Data concurred.

“I’d rather there be a diplomatic solution,” I said, frowning deeply. “Always, that’s my goal. I do not want to fight in battles that where we could lose ships, Galaxy Fleet officers, Forx civilians…Our mission is one of peace.” Everyone nodded, remembering the doctrine upon which the Federation was founded.  “Admiral, has Elizabeth or Mom found out any information about who attacked first in the Cygnarian archives?”

“They’re working now. I can contact them and have them report their findings,” my father said.

“Do it, sir,” I nodded.

He chuckled. “Right now, you’re _my_ boss, Emperor.” I smirked. “I’ll be right back.” Walking out of my office, my father tapped his communicator.

“Commander Whitlock, is there any way we can send stealth ships to Alphan territory?” I mused. “I’m curious if they can shed some light on our ‘who attacked first’ conundrum. Access their computer database?”

“I’ll contact the War Fleet Wing Commander,” Jasper said, taking out his tablet. “Also, we should interrogate Norex. Jakob did say that there was a traitor on the surface. We need to find out who and I think Norex is our best bet at figuring that out.”

“We’ll do that after I meet with the Assembly of Nobles. I want to get a read on them,” I said. “Perhaps Norex has more followers than we anticipated. Rose, I want you in there with me.”

“Understood, sir,” Rose nodded.

“I also want you to join me in a medical procedure for Nirabelle once we leave,” I said, tapping out a message on my tablet, sending it to Rose. _Nirabelle is in a catatonic state, being assaulted with visions of what could happen. It’s terrifying. Kunnan said that she could be stuck in this_ zi’tkm _if we don’t draw her out. I’m the only one who can reach her due to our telepathic connection. Your empathic abilities can help…please, I can’t lose her._ Rose winked, sitting back on the couch within my office. She was on board.

The door swung open and my parents, along with my sister, walked into my office. There was also a Cygnarian historian following them. She was petite, reminding me a lot of my mate, but her eyes were a warm purple. “What have you found?” I asked, turning to them.

“This is Ange’le, the chief historian at the Cygnarian archive,” Esme said, pointing to the Cygnarian woman. “She’s been invaluable in translating and interpreting the histories we’ve discovered.”

“Thank you, Ange’le,” I smiled.

“You are quite welcome, Emperor,” she said, her voice nervous and small. She appeared anxious, shuffling on her feet. “Your mother is quite the skilled archeologist and your sister is one of the best cultural anthropologists I’d ever worked with and I’ve been working in the archives for over fifty years.” My sister blushed, smiling crookedly. “Now, we did a great deal of research, trying to find as much as we could regarding the Alphans and this never ending war.”

Elizabeth connected her tablet to the screen and there were several books and scrolls on display. “These artifacts are the first that mention the Alphans. There is some confusion since they are written in a Cygnarian dialect that is now considered to be ‘dead.’ Not many know how to translate this, but Ange’le knew enough to start our research and found her mentor, J’amaru, who was able to finish the translation.”

“What does it say?” I asked.

“It mentioned an angry monster, coming to outlying villages of the Imperial city, stealing food, animals, weaponry and technology. The description matches the Alphan physiology and there were a few drawings among the scrolls,” Elizabeth said, tapping a few buttons and showing a few crude drawings of Alphan warriors.

“These are carbon dated at about seven hundred years ago,” Esme added. “According to J’amaru, the Cygnarians had just begun exploring their own planet, using early air craft and self-propelled land vehicles. They had not left orbit of Forx.”

“So, could this be the answer to who started this all?” Jasper asked. “It was the Alphans?”

“It would appear so, but I’d love to cross reference this with their historical data,” Esme said. “Had they harnessed the ability to travel through space? Jump technology? Based on our most current information, it would have taken the Alphans of that time approximately a hundred years to travel from Lapus to Forx without jump capabilities. Why would they travel through space to capture food, water, and supplies when there are nearby planets that had similar needs within the Alphan system?”

“Their ships look rickety and old,” Garrett, my new tactical officer, said. “Even now, they don’t look space-worthy. I would not want to be aboard one of those vessels while it’s traveling at light speeds. I’d be terrified that it would fly apart.”

“Perhaps they evolved too quickly,” Commander Volturi suggested. “They built all they could, sending ships all different directions?”

“That sounds plausible,” Esme said, looking at my sister. “Tell them what you discovered from the _Volvo’s_ sensors while you were at Lapus with the Empress, when she was taken prisoner and Maralice was attacked.”

“From the scans that you gathered when you were in orbit, Edward, Lapus is a dying planet. Its own natural resources are nearly bled dry. They probably developed immensely early, stripping Lapus of everything that makes it a _Class-M_ planet. The air is nearly toxic, filled with a great deal of carbon dioxide, toxic gases and pollution. All natural water sources are poisoned with nuclear sludge and there are no fish or anything living within the waters. Other than the Alphans, there are very few wild animals. Most of their food sources are coming from domesticated animals within special containment facilities. Those animals are genetically enhanced, created using science and not found in the wild. It honestly reminds me of Earth before we passed the clean air laws nearly two hundred years ago,” Elizabeth said, wrinkling her nose. “The life span of an Alphan is significantly lower than that of a Cygnarian or even a human. The world is killing them. Almost all of the Alphans on the planet are suffering from radiation poisoning and illnesses related to that. If you took a medical scan of Jakob or any Alphan, most of them would probably be in advance stages of cancer from these contributing factors.”

“Is that why they are increasing their attacks?” I asked. “They want to colonize Forx? Kill this world, too?”

“That we don’t know,” Esme said. “The reasoning behind their attacks is still a mystery. However, it goes without saying that the Alphans, their species will be extinct within the next one hundred years if they remain on Lapus. Rosalie can confirm our findings.”

“Not many on this planet would cry over that,” I muttered under my breath. “How should we proceed?”

“You need to inform the Assembly of Nobles,” D’Metri mentioned from the doorway.

“I intend to,” I nodded. “Mom, Elizabeth, can you prepare a presentation for the Assembly of Nobles tomorrow morning? They need to be made aware of this. Captain Data, can you continue working on the cloaking device and its Reman connection?”

“Understood, Emperor,” Data replied.

“The rest of us, work on ways to clean up Lapus. That’s our way to stop this from becoming a bloodbath,” I said. “Even if we find a new planet for them to colonize, we have to offer them suggestions. It’s our diplomatic solution.”

“Do you still want to interrogate Norex?” Jasper asked, his eyes somewhat dimmed from the possibility of not having his fun.

“Oh, I do. The day after tomorrow,” I said, standing up. “Make whatever preparations you need, Commander Whitlock.”

“Understood, Captain,” Jasper responded, his face grim. “Erm, Emperor.”

“You have your assignments,” I sighed, tugging my hands through my hair. “I have to attend to my mate. She is…” My heart cracked inside of my chest. The sedative was beginning to wear off.

“We understand, Emperor,” Ange’le urged. Biting my lip, I turned on my heel and walked toward our shared quarters, with Rose on my heels.

“Do you have any idea how this is going to work?” I asked.

“No clue, Edward,” Rose replied. “But, from the anguish I’m feeling from Bella, it needs to work quickly.”

“My heart is breaking, Rose,” I muttered, looking at my ex-wife and closest friend. I rubbed my chest, trying to stop the dull ache within. Waving my hand over the palm reader, the door unlocked to our quarters. Walking into the bedroom, I saw Maralice and Kunnan monitoring Bella’s rest. “Any news?”

“She’s coming to,” Maralice said, her face lined with distress.

“What do I need to do?” I questioned.

“You both need to be naked,” Kunnan explained. “The more you are touching, the stronger your connection will be. We’ll leave so you can remove the Empress’s clothing as well as yours. Then, you need to hold her and enter her mind.”

“How do I do that?” I asked, confused.

“I’ll guide you,” Kunnan said. “But, there is a risk that you will get pulled in with her. This is a very delicate procedure. We’ll leave you to prepare the Empress.” He looked at Rose and Maralice, nodding to the door. They left our room and I tugged on my hair, again. Looking at my mate, she was obviously in distress. Her mind was tidal wave of nightmarish visions and Jakob’s face. I needed to help her. I had to bring her back.

Walking to our bed, I sat her up, leaning her against my body. I quickly removed her clothing and tucked her into the bed. I went into the bathroom, relieving myself and then taking off my own clothes. Crawling into bed, I gathered my mate, my _life_ , into my arms. As if she knew I was there, she clung to me. I closed my eyes, burying my nose into her sweet-smelling hair.

There was a knock on the door and Kunnan entered with Rosalie. He affixed a monitoring device to my temple. “This is to enhance the telepathic link since you are human. Your bond is incredibly strong, but the telepathic connection just needs a little extra boost to ensure that this procedure works.”

“What do I need to do?” I questioned, tightening my hold on her.

“Reach out to her telepathically. Once you are in her mind, you need to find the true Nirabelle. She’s fallen deep into her subconscious, lost in what could happen,” Kunnan said. “And what has happened. You need to help her out of her mind, recognizing what she needs to work toward. Your mating, the future of all Cygnarians, her father’s dream realized, your children…”

“Is she?” I asked, looking up at Kunnan.

“No, Emperor. The medication I gave her, it prevents pregnancy,” Kunnan said. “It prevents the _El-lak D’nus._ ”

“Oh,” I frowned. I had hoped, naively, that the strength of our bond would have counteracted the medication.

“Now, you will feel sleepy when I activate neurotransmitter to enhance your telepathic abilities, but you will remain aware. Just groggy,” Kunnan said, pressing a few buttons on his scanner. I felt the device on my head buzz to life and I immediately felt tired. Despite my exhaustion, my mind was sharper than ever and tendrils of my subconscious found Bella’s. I closed my eyes, holding her tightly in my arms and I began my journey to bring her back.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

_Looking around, I barely recognized the Imperial Palace. It had been destroyed, crumbling and the smell of death hung heavily in the air. The breeze was cool and the sky was a deep purple, covered with thick clouds. Ominously, the sounds of exploding bombs ran in the distance. I began to explore the palace, first checking the throne room. There was nothing left. A few guards were laying on the ground, their eyes fixed in their blank stare of death. I closed them before continuing moving toward the Council Chambers._

_“Emperor,” came a weak voice. “Help me…”_

_I ran toward the voice, finding tiny Maralice trapped underneath a large beam. Her legs were bent unnaturally. Her head was bleeding, trickling down her cheek. “Maralice,” I whispered. “What happened?”_

_“The Alphans…they used their weapons to bomb the palace,” she forced out. “The Council of Elders, Empress Nirabelle, Prince Charanel…all dead…”_

_“No, they’re not,” I said. “This is not real, Maralice.”_

_“Yes, it is,” she wheezed out. “You’re all we have left.”_

_“I’m doing everything in my power, Maralice. But, believe me, this is_ not _real,” I said. “You are on the surface of Forx, but there has been no attack.”_

_“Emperor…” she whimpered. She took a deep breath in, but nothing exhaled. Her blue eyes were now staring at nothing as the lights flickered out. Maralice had died. I shook my head, closing her eyes and continuing my exploration of the war-ravaged palace._

_I knew that the death of Maralice stood for something. I couldn’t let anyone else die. I had to get them to believe me that this was not the real palace and that, for the time being, everyone was safe. Stumbling along the rubble, I made it to the Council Chambers. Aro and Caius were slumped in their seats on the dais while Marcusi was strewn on the table. I ran to him first, checking for a pulse. It was weak and thready, but his heart was still beating. I rolled him over, rubbing my fist on his chest. He groaned, swatting at me. “Marcusi, open your eyes,” I commanded._

_“Emperor?” he croaked._

_“Yes, it’s me,” I said, watching as he slowly became aware. “Are you okay?”_

_“Sore, but fine,” he answered, sitting up and looking around. “What happened?”_

_“Nothing,” I answered. Marcusi looked at me like I was crazy. “This isn’t real. You are caught in Bella’s mind.”_

_“Then, why do I hurt?” he retorted._

_“Because Bella’s hurting,” I replied. “She’s stuck in her head, in this reality. I need you to believe me and_ leave _this place. If your pain goes, then I have a better chance of reaching her.”_

_“Where should I go?” Marcusi asked, still not convinced._

_I tapped my chest where my communicator was still located. “Cullen to_ Volvo _,” I said._

 _“_ Volvo _here,” said the disembodied voice of an unnamed officer._

 _“Lock on to Counselor Marcusi and beam him directly to sick bay,” I commanded. Marcusi disappeared and the pain that I was experiencing through Bella lessened. My mission was now clear. I had to get each ‘person’ out of the palace and I would be able to reach her. I did the same with Aro and Caius, but didn’t rouse them. They were unconscious and appeared to be severely injured. The pressure in my head and on my heart improved greatly when they were gone. Now, fully understanding what needed to be done, I ran through the palace, transporting each living person up to the_ Volvo _. I even went back to Maralice, despite her apparent death._

 _It took me nearly an hour to find everyone. The only people that were missing were Nirabelle, Charanel and Norex. Wandering the palace, I finally found the three of them inside of the school, along with another me. Nirabelle was cradling my body, sobbing hysterically. Her voice was rough and desperate. Charanel was held at gun point by Norex. “You did this, you hateful_ xytiria, _” snarled Norex. “If you had just gone to Jakob, all of this would have been avoided. Now, Forx is ruined because of you. You bring shame to our family and to our people.”_

_“Bella,” I called, crawling to her. She ignored me and she clung to my doppelganger’s corpse. I reached out to touch her, but my hand went right through her body. Her cries turned to screams. This was the ultimate test. I had to make Bella see that I was alright that what she was experiencing was an illusion. That it wasn’t real._

_“I couldn’t deny what my heart and my_ soul _wanted,” she sobbed, glaring up at her uncle. “We would have died.”_

_“You should have,” Norex said coldly. “Charanel will be a greater emperor than you ever would. Right, Charanel?” Norex shoved the gun up into Charanel’s chin, causing his head to tip back._

_“Leave him alone,” Bella snarled, glaring up at her uncle. “Do not touch my brother!”_

_“Why? Because he was smart enough to come with me when the attack happened. I wonder why?” Norex mused. “Oh, that’s because he was in contact with Jakob. Your brother caused all of this.”_

_“I didn’t, Nirabelle!” Charanel yelled, trying to wriggle out of Norex’s hold. “It was Uncle Rex! Not me!”_

_“Shut up, you_ yanhesh! _” Norex growled, pushing Charanel toward me. I reach out to catch him, but he fell through my body. The sound of his wrist cracking resonated in the school. Charanel began crying, cradling his arm to his body. Bella wrenched herself away from me and she held Charanel’s hand. She was whispering quietly to him in Cygnarian._

_I paced the length of the room, trying to figure out how to make them see. I tried to touch Bella’s shoulder and tried to punch Norex in the face. Neither worked, unfortunately. I did give Norex the finger and kicked him in the nuts, though it didn’t do anything. It was strangely cathartic, though. After I got my rage out on the apparition of Norex, I stumbled, stepping onto my corpse. When my foot touched the corpse’s foot, it moved. My eyes widened and I found my way to make them see. Laying down, resting inside of my broken body. Once I settled, the pain from my injuries overtook me, but I had to muscle through._

_It made the agony of the_ em’tuuk _gas seem like child’s play, though._

_Opening my eyes, I pushed myself up to a seated position. Norex screamed like a girl, yammering about some ghost or demon that has taken over my body. “Shut up, asshole,” I growled, squeezing my broken hands into fists. Unsteadily, I punched him in the face and forced him to the ground. Picking up the gun that had skittered across the tile, I aimed it at the back of his head as I knelt on his back. “You are not real. You are just a figment of my mate’s imagination.” Closing my eyes, I focused on ‘healing’ myself and my injuries disappeared, along with the pain. “I’m not.”_

_Bella was staring at me, eyes wide with disbelief. Something had happened when I took control of my ‘dead body.’ I was gaining control of her mind. Looking down at Norex, I willed the floor to pin down his hands and keep him hostage while I attended to Charanel and Bella. Crouching in front of my brother, I took his hand. “Trust me,” I whispered. Charanel nodded, his spots glowing a deep red. Closing my fingers around his wrist, I healed his broken bones and I smiled softly. “You’re okay, Charanel. Go to the_ Volvo _,” I said. He disappeared, leaving me with Bella and a struggling Norex._

_Moving toward my mate, I reached for her. Like a frightened animal, she fell away from me. Her eyes were filled with terror. “Bella, it’s me,” I murmured, my voice soft and loving. “Please…I’m alright. You’re alright.”_

_“No, you’re dead,” she squeaked._

_“I’m not dead,_ Fíorghrá, _” I said soothingly. “I’m perfectly fine. So are you. This…all of this…it’s not real.”_

_“Yes, it is,” she sobbed brokenly._

_“If it was real, how could I have healed myself without any medical equipment? Or Charanel?” I asked. “Or come back from the dead? Or control the floor? Bella, listen to me…this isn’t real. You’re trapped in your mind.”_

_“No, I’m not,” she said, getting up and trying to leave. Blinking my eyes, I managed to get in front of her, putting my hands around her arms. “How did you do that? You were over by Norex.”_

_“Bella, please…I need you to come back to me. I miss you. Forx needs you. I need you,” I pleaded, taking her face in my hands. “The last step is to make him go away. I’m certain that I can’t do that without you. Bella, I need you back. Please, love?”_

_She pushed me away and glared at me. “You’re not real. It’s a trick,” she snapped._

_I walked to Norex, releasing him from his bonds. Helping him to his feet, I scowled at him. “Go to Lapus,” I commanded him but he wouldn’t move. Norex just grinned like a moron. He tried to attack me, but I used my mind tricks to shackle his hands. “See? I can restrain him, but only you can make him go. He’s the last barrier, freeing you from this…this mental confinement.”_

_“How?” she asked, looking at me skeptically. I blinked again and the gun was in her hand. “Kill him?”_

_“He killed so many,” I muttered. When I looked at Norex, his body changed into the seven foot tall Jakob. His black eyes were seething with hatred and loathing. “End this.”_

_Bella walked slowly toward Jakob. He watched her, lust washing over him. His body reacted to hers. I wanted to kill him for thinking such lewd things about my mate. Bella held the gun in her hand, holding it securely and aiming it at Jakob’s head. The animal started spewing hateful phrases in Alphan, making lewd gestures and licking his lips. “You will be mine,” he finished, grasping his crotch and thrusting up harshly._

_“No, I won’t,” she said, her voice sing-song and her eyes slightly crazed. Without even thinking, she raised the gun and shot Jakob square between the eyes. Then, lowering the weapon slightly, she shot him twice in the chest. He collapsed and as his body hit the ground…_

xx STAR CROSSED xx

“Edward?” Bella whimpered, her eyes bleary and confused.

“You’re back,” I sighed, holding her to my naked body and burying my nose into her hair. The door closed and our guests, Kunnan and Rose, had obviously left. I ran my hands up and down her bare torso. “Are you okay? Talk to me, _Fíorghrá._ ”

“It was all so real,” she said, her hands gripping my shoulders. “I saw you die, Edward. And then, come back to life! I was so confused and so scared.”

“I know, love,” I murmured, brushing her damp hair from her face. She was covered in sweat and shivering. “Come. Let’s get you warmed up in the bath.” She nodded and tried to get up. I pushed her back on the mattress, removing the neurotransmitter on my temple. I scooped her in my arms, carrying her to the bathroom and into the warm water. She wrapped her legs around my waist, burying her nose into my neck. I just held her, allowing us this brief moment of solitude and comfort.

“I wish we were back in Ch’ich,” she muttered. “I felt safe there.”

“We’ll go back, Bella. I promise,” I vowed. “I know that right now, everything feels out of control and in shambles, but we’ve made headway on so many things while you were stuck within your mind.”

“Like what?” she asked, untangling her legs from around my waist and standing in the water.

“The Assembly of Nobles is meeting to discuss what happened with Jakob. Jasper and I are going to interrogate Norex. My mom and sister believe they have solved the issue of who attacked first.”

“There’s something else, too,” Bella said, her brows knit together. “You’re holding something back.”

“I believe I have found a diplomatic solution and why the Alphans have stepped up their attacks,” I said, anger coloring my tone.

“What is this solution?”

“Lapus is a dying planet,” I replied. “Honestly, I don’t think that the Alphans realize it, but they are all sick because of the pollution, toxic air and poisoned food sources. We will assist them in a relocation to another planet if they stop their attacks against the Cygnarians.”

“That seems too nice,” Bella growled, her eyes darkening and her spots beginning to sizzle an angry red.

“Bella, listen to me,” I said sternly, taking her hands in mine. “The doctrine for the Federation is to seek out new life and new civilizations. I would be remiss as a Galaxy Fleet captain if I went into the Alphan system, guns blazing.”

“You are the Emperor of Forx. I want these attacks to stop,” she snarled, her electric blue eyes simmering and also turning red. “I want them to _pay_ for what they’ve done to our planet. To _my_ family. To the families of countless millions of Cygnarians. Giving them another planet to destroy is not a solution.”

“If we leave them on Lapus, the entire Alphan species will die off,” I said. “If we give them this other solution, besides carrying on this ongoing interstellar war, it may be result in significantly less blood-shed. I do not want to lose another Cygnarian life or a life of a Federation citizen.”

“But in my mind, you encouraged me to kill Jakob…” she seethed. “Why?”

“Because he is a monster,” I snapped in return. “Not all Alphans are like him, Bella.”

“How do you know? Have you met all of them?” Bella asked, her voice taking on a hysterical tone. “Every Alphan I’ve ever met has been as cruel and sadistic as Jakob. Did you forget what they did to Maralice? What Jakob wants to do with me?”

“Of course I remember, but I’d rather go into the situation with another solution than fighting to the death, Nirabelle,” I yelled. “Do you want to die? Do you want me to die? Jasper? Captain Picard? Data? If we go in, guns blazing, it’s a distinct possibility that we would not make out of the battle. Originally, you wanted a diplomatic solution. I remembered that from when you first came aboard. You wanted the fighting to stop. What changed?’

“The fact that there is a Cygnarian informant for the Alphans among my people,” she screamed. She grasped her head, moaning lowly. “ _Snir!_ ”

“Bella,” I whispered soothingly, taking her into my arms. I could feel her pain throbbing through her head. “You need to take it easy.”

“I know,” she whimpered. “I just hate being so vulnerable, Edward.”

“Let me take care of you. We have the meeting with Assembly of Nobles tomorrow and then, I’m planning on interrogating Norex with Jasper. We need to find out if he’s our mole.”

“Mole? What’s a mole?” Bella asked, her nose wrinkling adorably.

“It’s an earth mammal, known for burrowing its nose where it isn’t wanted. It’s also used to describe someone who is working for the other side,” I explained. “Let’s finish cleaning up, change into something comfortable, eat some of your favorite foods and just relax. Tomorrow is going to be stressful and with your ordeal, you need as much rest as possible, Bella. You took care of me when I was recovering from my _em’tuuk_ gas exposure. Now, it’s my turn to take care of you.”

She nodded, her red spots and angry eyes softening, back to their normal coloring. I pulled her in my arms and held her close, stroking her back and murmuring words of love and comfort. Finishing our bath, we dressed in some pajamas, ordering all of Bella’s favorite foods from the kitchen. We had a bed picnic, eating some of Forx’s finest junk food. After we ate, Bella and I read one of her favorite stories and fell asleep just as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon.

I couldn’t stay asleep for long. I spent most of the night, watching her as she slept on my body. Her dreams were dark, almost nightmarish. She fought invisible foes, crying and pleading for an end to this war. Several times during the night, I had to wake her up from her dreams. She clung to me, needing to feel my body. Three times during the night, we made love, spanning from comforting to desperate.

Early the next morning, we got up and dressed for the meeting with the Assembly of Nobles. Bella was dressed in a regal blue gown with her _ioti_ stone circlet upon her head. I was dressed in an outfit similar to what I wore during our mating ceremony. The only difference was the jacket, which was a darker blue with a deep purple sash that draped across my body. I wore my phaser beneath my jacket and my communicator was affixed to my chest. Bella insisted that I wear my circlet which she placed on my head before we left for the grand ballroom. The ballroom was serving as the chambers for the Assembly of Nobles.

Rose met us outside. She was dressed in her formal uniform. Her blonde hair was pinned up into a chignon. “From what I can tell, most of their emotions are indicating anxiety over what is happening. Only a handful are anxious for other reasons. I have to get inside to fully comprehend their feelings,” Rose explained.

“Normally, the Assembly of Nobles is a closed meeting,” Bella frowned. “With everything that has happened, being admitted into the Federation and this new threat, it seems plausible that we would have a Federation liaison.”

“That’s it. I’m a Federation liaison,” Rose quipped, smirking slightly.

“My mother and sister are making a presentation about what they found in the archives,” I said. Bella nodded and we walked to the entrance. Rose slipped inside while we waited for the doors to open, announcing our arrival. The booming voice of D’Metri heralded our entrance and the doors swung open. The nobles and governors stood up as we walked to the raised dais where our thrones were located. Bella and I bowed deeply before sitting down, clasping each other’s hands.

Once everyone was settled, I stood up and introduced myself. Most everyone in the room knew me from our mating ceremony, but there were a few new faces. I explained everything that had happened, our findings regarding the cloaking device and breezing over the information found in the archive. With a firm nod to my mother, I turned the floor over to her and she began her presentation about how the Alphans were the first to attack.

 _Back in the corner,_ Bella thought to me. _Governor It’shi has been glaring at us almost the entire time. Also, Lord and Lady Mel’aette seated right next to them have been…_ She blinked to a cluster of five people. I tapped out a command to Rose, asking her to get a feel for the governor and his companions.

 _What about the father of your intended? The one who died? Would he be upset about our union?_ I asked.

 _No. He was so deeply saddened by the death of his son that he didn’t really care about what happened to me. He has since resigned his position and is living in exile on an island in the Renien Ocean_ , Bella explained.

“Are there any questions?” Elizabeth asked the crowd.

“Why is this now coming into light?” asked Governor It’shi. “According to you, these documents have been in the archives all along.”

“No one thought to look back this far,” my mom said. “The war had been going on forever and it was unclear why it even started. We are looking to get verification from the Alphan archives as we do our reconnaissance with our stealth ships in the war fleet.”

“Besides, these documents were in an ancient Cygnarian dialect. It took a great deal of assistance to get them translated,” Elizabeth said.

“For all we know, you could have fabricated this information,” Governor It’shi spat.

Bella stood up, glaring at him. “You will treat our guests respectfully, Governor. It is with the aid of the Federation that we will hopefully put an end to this war. Now, moving on. Captain Data and Commander Volturi are going to present information about this cloaking device and how to deactivate it.”

Rose sent me a message on my tablet. _I’d put Governor It’shi, Lord and Lady Mel’aette and their staff on your list of possible moles. They abhor you. The level of hatred that is being sent your way is disgusting._ I nodded, slipping my tablet back into my jacket.

We spent nearly three hours listening to presentations and intel before we shared what had happened that caused us to return from Ch’ich so quickly. Rose was standing right by the Governor and his companions. When we mentioned a traitor, Rose sent me an encrypted message to my tablet. Pulling it out, I read her message, indicating that their heart rates increased along with a spike in anxiety.

“This conflict between the Alphans and Cygnarians has been going on for as long as I can remember,” Bella said strongly. “It’s one thing to have a foe that we can recognize. But, someone living among our people, spreading information to the Alphans. You are betraying your people. Anyone found guilty of treason will be dealt with harshly and swiftly. As of right now, we are going to not make any decisions on how to proceed. Go back to your diplomatic homes, spread word of what is happening and we will reconvene within a week.”

I stood up next to Bella and we left the ballroom. We walked briskly to my office, which was closest to the ballroom. Bella collapsed against me. I held her on my lap. Rose found us in my office. “I got a few others that may be working for Alphans, Lord Pt’ati, Governor Elij’ah and Lieutenant Governor Re’alle. They left with Governor It’shi and Lord and Lady Mal’aette. Secrecy and lies were the forefront of their emotions. There was also a great deal of animosity towards both of you.”

 I tapped my communicator. “Cullen to Picard and Data,” I barked. They responded. “Have the transmissions of following nobles monitored. I’m sending you a list.” I uploaded the list of names. They confirmed receipt.

“Why are you using Captain Picard and Captain Data?” Bella asked.

“Outside sources and people that I trust,” I explained. “I’m also going to have Maralice pull their files so I can read more about these nobles.”

“Let me do that,” Bella said. “Maralice and I haven’t had much time to talk since her attack, our mating and everything in between.” She stood up, kissing me softly. “I love you, Edward. Thank you for last night.”

“I love you more, _Fíorghrá_ ,” I whispered, caressing her cheek. “I shouldn’t be more than a couple of hours.”

“He may be our informant, but he’s still my uncle, Edward,” Bella warned me. “Please, treat him respectfully.”

“I have every intention to. Jasper, on the other hand,” I grimaced. “He spent years in War Fleet.”

“I’ll go and make sure that Jasper is behaving himself,” Rose said. Bella relaxed visibly. With another sweet kiss, she left my office and I summoned my first officer. “You two are seriously drowning in lovey-dovey vibes.”

“Last night was rough. Once she came to from the catatonic state, her emotions were all over the place. I smothered her with love,” I said, going to grab a snack from my cupboard.

“You mean sex,” Rose deadpanned.

“Yes, we had sex,” I said, tossing a grape-like fruit at my ex-wife. “Look, this connection thing is complex. We share one mind, one soul. It was what she needed to feel safe and secure. It was what I needed after my _em’tuuk_ gas exposure to heal me. The skin on skin contact, it bonds us.”

There was a chime at my door. Kunnan entered carrying his medical bag. “Emperor,” he greeted me, bowing deeply. “Now that you’ve healed from your illness, the Empress asked that we begin your regimen to alter your aging.”

“Now?” I asked, arching a brow.

“What does this regimen entail?” Rose asked. Kunnan handed Rose a tablet, which she read over quickly. “Any side effects?”

“No. Didyme receives something similar and she has had no ill-effects,” Kunnan said. “If anything, it will give you more energy and make you stronger, Emperor.”

“How long do I have to take this regimen?” I asked.

“Once a month for the rest of your life. I will administer it until I die. Then, my son, Kunari, will take over,” Kunnan said. “He is in school to be a healer, like me.” Kunnan took out a hypospray, filling it with a purple serum. He moved my jacket, revealing my neck and injecting it into my carotid artery. There was a warm feeling that spread through my veins, followed by a burst of energy. “All set, Emperor. I shall go check on the Empress, see if there are any after effects from her _zi’tkm_.”

“Her emotions are all over the place,” I said. “And she said she was suffering from a headache.”

“That’s to be expected. I will talk with her and examine her more thoroughly while you question Lord Norex. Have a good day, Emperor,” Kunnan said, bowing again. As he left, Jasper walked in, a large duffel bag on his shoulder.

“Do I even want to know what’s in the bag?” Rose deadpanned, glaring at Jasper.

“Probably not,” Jasper snickered. He shifted it and metallic clanging filled the room.

“Commander, I promised my mate that we would treat Norex respectfully. No torture devices,” I chided. Jasper frowned, looking like I had killed his puppy. “This guy is Bella’s uncle and the brother of the previous emperor. He may be an asshole, but he does need to be given some sort of deference.”

“Fine,” Jasper spat out. He dropped his bag, kicking it underneath a table. “Let’s get this done. Rose, are you coming? We could use an empath.” Rose nodded and we went down to the holding cell that Norex was being detained. Several Imperial guards were watching over him while he poked at his meal that barely looked edible. When we relieved the guards, Norex looked up at us. The contempt in his eyes was barely contained.

“I’ve been down here for over three weeks,” Norex snarled.

“And yet, you still manage to cause trouble,” I smirked.

“That would be you,” Norex retorted darkly. “Ever since Charel decided to contact the Federation, everything has gone to hell. First, my niece is mated to _you_.” He spat that like it was a swear word. His disdain plain as day. “Then, the attack on _H’Nan_ and finally, the threats from Jakob.”

“How did you know about the attack on _H’Nan_?” I asked.

“I overheard the guards talking,” he shrugged. “One of them had an older sibling that was a part of the colony. He was upset that his sister was murdered needlessly.”

“The Alphans are picking up their paces,” Jasper said. “Their actions are becoming more and more erratic and violent. Do you know anything about that?”

Norex rolled his eyes and shrugged nonchalantly. Rose tapped my shoulder, shaking her head no. He was lying.

“Try again,” I spat.

Norex turned to me, his eyes blazing in anger. “You know nothing,” he spat.

“I know that you know more than you’re letting on. You may be a lord and the brother of the previous emperor, but I have no qualms in keeping you in here, indefinitely,” I said harshly.

“Okay, okay,” he growled. “I knew that they were going to attack _H’Nan_. That’s it. Jakob had contacted me and asked for Nirabelle’s hand in marriage. Speaking on behalf of her father, I agreed to it. When she returned with you, Jakob sent word that he was going to attack the colony. I didn’t know when or how, but that it was coming.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jasper asked, his face flushed with anger. Rose tugged on my hand and led me out of the room with the holding cells.

“What’s your take?” I asked.

“He’s lying through his teeth about his knowledge of the attack on _H’Nan._ He probably knew exactly when and where. He probably also arranged for the shields to be taken down. Obviously, he couldn’t, but he must have had an accomplice,” Rose explained. “His heart rate jumps whenever he mentions Jakob. He is terrified of him and was willing to sell his niece to him in order to negotiate peace.” She showed me a tablet, displaying Norex’s financials. “He received a large payment of _marceshian_ stones the day before we arrived at Forx from a Turulian merchant.”

“Turulian?” I hissed.

“He picked up the stones from an outpost just outside of the Neutral Zone, near the Reman border,” Rose said. “Additionally, Norex’s wife has been using a poorly masked hailing frequency, trying to contact someone on Lapus, but we can’t triangulate the location.”

“How long have you known this?”

“Jasper told me about it the day you left for Ch’ich,” Rose said. “We’ve been working every day since to find connections with Norex and the Alphans. However, it seems that he’s just the ‘face’ of the communication. These orders are coming from deep within the Cygnarian computer system. At this time, we cannot decrypt their origins. Additionally, the messages that we have intercepted are written in a language we can’t understand. It looks like a combination of Bolian and ancient Turulian.”

“I think we need to bring in Norex’s mate. Talk to her. We also need to discover who is pulling the strings of the puppets,” I muttered, reading the information on the tablet again. “Inform the Imperial guard of what I need and have J’amaru look at these symbols. See if he recognizes them.”

“Understood,” Rose nodded, turning on her heel and darting up to the throne room.

Tucking the tablet into my jacket, I walked back toward the holding cell. Jasper and Norex were glaring at each other. “Norex, you have been quite busy,” I said, shaking my head as if I was ashamed of him. “What would your brother say? Selling your niece, his _daughter_ to the enemy?” He fumed in his cell. “As far as I’m concerned, you will remain in here. You snarl and yell that Nirabelle’s actions are treasonous. I beg to differ, Norex. What you have done is beyond the pale.”

Summoning the guards, I had a glare off with Norex. When they arrived, I gave them my orders. “Lord Norex is to remain in this cell until his trial. He is being charged with high treason. The only people allowed to speak with him are his attorney, myself or Empress Nirabelle. His meals will be personally brought down by Commander Whitlock. If he tries anything, he will lose the privilege of visitors and spend the days leading up to his trial in solitary confinement. Do you understand?” I asked.

“Yes, Emperor,” they said, saluting me.

“Good,” I nodded curtly, leading Jasper up to the throne room. I guided him back to my office, which was now empty. “Jasper, I need you to find out as much as you can about the transaction between Norex and Jakob.”

“Is that before or after I play waiter?” Jasper asked, his eyes searing through me.

“I need someone that I can trust to deliver his food and take it away. If it’s not you, I’m sending down Emmett or Garrett,” I argued. “We have a list of possible moles and now, information implicating someone higher than Norex. We need to find out who.”

“Okay,” Jasper said, running his hand through his blonde hair. “I’ll do some more digging. Why not use your envoy? D’Metri?”

“There’s something about him that I don’t trust. Jasper, I know you. I know my crew. With corruption spreading through the palace, I need people that I can trust implicitly to do what I need to be done. The first step is to identify the people who are working with the Alphans and why they would do that.”

“Do you think those people plotted to have Bella’s father executed? Leaked his location on the front lines?” Jasper questioned.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I frowned. “How do I tell Bella that some of the closest advisors and people she’s known for her entire life could have led her father to his death?”

**A/N: Hmmmmm...the plot thickens. Now, what do you think about Norex? Who is he working for? Why would he have sold Bella to Jakob? Who is Norex’s ally? Lots of questions left unanswered. But all will be revealed. I promise. And let’s not forget Bella’s catatonic state and her subsequent freak out afterward…I hope that wasn’t too confusing. The portion of the chapter that is in _italics_ is the time spent in Bella’s head. It kind of gives a sneak peak of who she doesn’t trust (Norex/Jakob) and who she loves the most (Charanel and Edward, obviously). **

**Not a lot of pictures with this one. Some, but not many. Any pictures will be posted on my blogs and tumblr. Links for all of them are on my profile.**

**Up next will be Bella, her take on Edward’s charge of high treason, her confrontation with Norex and some more clues at who is the puppet master in this whole thing.**

_Class-M Planet ~ A planet that is capable of sustaining life, comprised of a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere, abundant water, various animal and plant life and the presence of a sentient species. Forx and Earth are examples of Class-M planets._

_Snir ~ Cygnarian swear word, shit_

_Marchesian stones ~ Highly valuable gemstone, used to create dilithium crystals when they are not naturally occurring. One gram of marchesian stones can produce enough dilithium crystals to provide jump drive for three starships for a year._

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Ten**

**EPOV**

**_Tucking the tablet into my jacket, I walked back toward the holding cell. Jasper and Norex were glaring at each other. “Norex, you have been quite busy,” I said, shaking my head as if I was ashamed of him. “What would your brother say? Selling your niece, his daughter to the enemy?” He fumed in his cell. “As far as I’m concerned, you will remain in here. You snarl and yell that Nirabelle’s actions are treasonous. I beg to differ, Norex. What you have done is beyond the pale.”_ **

**_Summoning the guards, I had a glare off with Norex. When they arrived, I gave them my orders. “Lord Norex is to remain in this cell until his trial. He is being charged with high treason. The only people allowed to speak with him are his attorney, myself or Empress Nirabelle. His meals will be personally brought down by Commander Whitlock. If he tries anything, he will lose the privilege of visitors and spend the days leading up to his trial in solitary confinement. Do you understand?” I asked._ **

**_“Yes, Emperor,” they said, saluting me._ **

**_“Good,” I nodded curtly, leading Jasper up to the throne room. I guided him back to my office, which was now empty. “Jasper, I need you to find out as much as you can about the transaction between Norex and Jakob.”_ **

**_“Is that before or after I play waiter?” Jasper asked, his eyes searing through me._ **

**_“I need someone that I can trust to deliver his food and take it away. If it’s not you, I’m sending down Emmett or Garrett,” I argued. “We have a list of possible moles and now, information implicating someone higher than Norex. We need to find out who.”_ **

**_“Okay,” Jasper said, running his hand through his blonde hair. “I’ll do some more digging. Why not use your envoy? D’Metri?”_ **

**_“There’s something about him that I don’t trust. Jasper, I know you. I know my crew. With corruption spreading through the palace, I need people that I can trust implicitly to do what I need to be done. The first step is to identify the people who are working with the Alphans and why they would do that.”_ **

**_“Do you think those people plotted to have Bella’s father executed? Leaked his location on the front lines?” Jasper questioned._ **

**_“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I frowned. “How do I tell Bella that some of the closest advisors and people she’s known for her entire life could have led her father to his death?”_ **

**BPOV**

After the Assembly of Nobles, I walked to Maralice’s office. She was seated behind her desk, shuffling through several papers and computer tablets. She appeared to be very frazzled. “Are you alright, Maralice?” I asked, sliding inside of the office.

“Empress,” she squeaked, standing quickly. Her chair fell behind her and she fumbled to pick it up. “I did not know that you were coming. I’m sorry for the mess.”

“I don’t care,” I said, gesturing for her to sit. “You’ve seen my suite when I was a teenager. I was not always as tidy as I am now.”

“That’s because Jerasse and L’aurien take excellent care of you,” Maralice snickered, plopping down on her righted chair. She sighed, continuing her search on her desk. “I can’t find it.”

“What?”

“A tablet with information about widowed Cygnarians,” she said. “The pull I feel toward Commander Whitlock is becoming stronger. I feel like I’m mated to him. I can hear his thoughts quite clearly now. I’m not sure if he can hear me or if he’s choosing to ignore it.” She frowned, shaking her head. “I don’t want to ask Marcusi to read our bond until I researched the possibility fully. What if I am bonded to him? What would Jamel’s family think? Would they hate me? I can’t fathom having another mate. I loved Jamel. He was my forever.”

“Jamel adored you and he died knowing that,” I said, a sad smile crossing over my features. “Would it be so bad that you were mated with Jasper? He’s gruff and cranky, but seems like a good man. A loyal man.”

Maralice huffed, crossing her arms. She chose to ignore my statement. “And what those Alphan dogs did to me …” she shuddered. “I have shamed my family and the family of my mate. Now, on top of that, I’ve been bonded to another. A human, no less!” She spat the last part, anger and disdain coloring her tone.

“Do you think less of me because I’ve been bonded to a human?” I hissed, my voice icy. My posture grew rigid and I glared at her. “That my mate is someone who is not from Forx?”

“No, Empress,” Maralice stuttered. “Never. I never meant to insult you.” She flushed a brilliant red, her spots glowing in embarrassment. “It’s just that I’ve been mated. I had my one true love. How can I justify the fact that I may be mated to Jasper? Is this my punishment for what happened to me on Lapus?”

“Being mated is not a punishment,” I scoffed. “And you should not be punished for what happened to you. They took away your choice, Maralice. They had their way with you and you did not want it. If anything, they should be punished. All of the Alphans who were in the palace should meet the same fate. Death.”

“You won’t get any arguments from me,” Maralice snorted indelicately. She gave me a sheepish look, apologetic and sincere. “Empress, I am sorry. I don’t mean to insult you or your relationship with the emperor. Edward is a good man. A strong man. He stepped in for you when you were caught in the _zi’tkm_. He made decisions and watched out for our best interests. I respect him a great deal and I can see how much you love him. He truly completes you.”

“He’s everything,” I breathed, running my finger over the ring he had given me at our mating ceremony. “He’s stronger than I ever thought possible and so noble. All of this would seem so much _more_ without him.”

“Not to mention, easy on the eyes,” Maralice quipped, beaming when she found what she was looking for. “Got it!” She ran her eyes over the information, swiping her finger over the tablet’s screen. “There have been instances where a woman found another mate within our history. It’s rare, usually a member of her mate’s family, but …”

“But what?” I asked.

She frowned, shaking her head. “Nothing. Never mind,” she said, tossing the tablet into the drawer of her desk. She glowered at it angrily, thinking that it was going to jump out and attack her. “What can I do for you? I’m certain you don’t want to talk about my trivial issues.”

“They’re not trivial, Maralice,” I said.

“Compared to what is going on with the Alphans, it is,” she chuckled darkly, humorlessly. “Now, what can I do for you, Empress? You look like you need something from me.”

“I do. You know the computer system that has all of the information about the Cygnarian nobility better than anyone. I need the files pulled on several people whom we feel are in league with Norex,” I sneered. “Someone in the palace or close to us is feeding Jakob and the Alphans privileged information. We need to find out who.”

“Do you have the names?” she asked. Nodding, I gave her the list that Edward and Rose had compiled based off the meeting during the Assembly of Nobles. I also added Norex, his wife and Caius, remembering what Victoria had said about him. Maralice shot me a look of disbelief when she saw Caius’s name. “Are you sure?”

“There’s something about him that Victoria didn’t trust,” I muttered, narrowing my eyes. “Out of the three brothers, he’s the one that I find to be the most … I don’t trust him either.”

“To make it look like I’m not singling Caius out, I’ll do a search of all of the Council of Elders and their family,” Maralice said, nodding her head. “There’s something off-putting about Aro, too.” I furrowed my brow, confused by her statement. “I’ll be discreet. Since your return and your mating ceremony, there have been a lot of whispers about your sanity and the future of all Cygnarians. Some of it must be because of Norex’s lies and his hatred of you, but he’s not the only one spreading these rumors. He has to have an accomplice.”

“I’m not crazy,” I growled.

“I know, Nirabelle,” Maralice said, getting up from behind her desk. She sat down next to me on the sofa, taking my hands. “I know. You are strong woman, a great leader. Just like Charel.”

At the mention of my father, my eyes filled with tears and I sniffled. My royal façade crumbled and I felt the pain of losing my father all over again. Shooting up from her seat, Maralice held me close, rocking me gently. I was not a great leader like my father. I felt weak, insignificant and lost. No matter what I did to try and resolve the situation with the Alphans, things just kept getting worse. Yes, we were a part of the Federation, providing us with a diplomatic solution to the Alphan problem and I was mated, but even that was rife with controversy. I was so empty without Edward. I loved that he gave me strength, but hated that I was weak without him. “Come, Nirabelle,” Maralice said quietly, helping me to my feet. “Let’s get you back to your suite. You are still out of sorts from your _zi’tkm._ You need to relax and shut off that mind of yours.”

“Unlikely,” I said. Wiping my cheeks, we walked back to my suite. Maralice encouraged me to just relax until Edward returned from questioning my uncle. I knew it would be fruitless. My mind wouldn’t stop churning, but I figured I’d try. I changed into some comfortable clothes and curled up on the couch. I watched as the sun slowly began its descent below the horizon, washing the sky in brilliant pinks and purples. The two Cygnarian moons were low in the sky. I was thinking about Edward’s diplomatic solution for the Alphan problem. It was a brilliant idea, but too _noble._ I was hoping that he would forget it and that the Alphans would eventually kill themselves.

They deserved it.

_Animals!_

_Where were all of these violent thoughts coming from? This isn’t you, Nirabelle_ , I chastised myself. I was always one for trying to be the diplomat. In school, I was always the one that would settle disputes between my classmates. Even my father would come to me as I got older to discuss quarrels between land owners, decisions made with the Assembly of Nobles and arguments between members of our staff. I was always able to see both sides and think outside of the box. This thing with the Alphans, since Maralice was taken and her choice taken away, not to mention what they did to the colonists on _H’Nan_ and the trap they set on their ship, I couldn’t see anything other than revenge.

And let’s not forget what they did to my father. They killed him in cold blood.

I wanted to gut Jakob like a _pisc_ , his innards tumbling out of his body and his screams echoing in the throne room as he bled out. I wanted him to feel every pain that my mate did from the _em’tuuk_ gas. I wanted him to feel every injury his men did to Maralice. I smiled evilly at the last prospect. Jakob would _not_ like that.

“I don’t like what your mind is thinking,” Edward said as he walked into our suite. He looked tired, but determined. “You have every right to be upset and to want revenge on the Alphans, but what does that do?”

“It would make me feel better,” I muttered, curling up on the couch, leaning my cheek on my legs.

“Temporarily, but in the long run, you would feel guilty,” Edward said, sitting down in front of me. He took my hands in his. “Jakob deserves to die for what he has done, but the rest of the Alphans don’t deserve the same fate.”

“What about the monsters who took Alice’s honor?” I asked, glaring at him. “They deserve a fate worse than death.”

“I agree with that, too,” Edward said, pulling me into his lap. “But, we don’t know enough about the Alphans to judge them all the same way. I hate them for what they did to you, to Maralice, to your father and to our planet, but we cannot let this prejudice sign their death certificate.”

I sighed, leaning my head against his shoulder. My mate was so cool-headed. “You’re right,” I whispered. “How did it go with Norex?”

“We have a lot to discuss about him,” Edward said, his eyes dimming and his face flushing. “I want to change and get something to eat. My appetite is nearly back and I’m craving a huge steak.” I nodded, putting in an order to the kitchen. He went into our bedroom, presumably to change. I didn’t know what a steak was, but the chef had something that would appease Edward’s craving. My chef had been reading up on human cuisine since the arrival of the _Volvo_ and the rest of the Federation ships. He was excited at experimenting with new dishes and the Federation database was filled with new recipes for him to try.

Walking back into the living room area of the suite, Edward was dressed in some loose-fitting pants and a casual shirt. He had his phaser clipped to his hip and his communicator affixed to his shirt. “Do you want to talk about Norex before or after we eat?” he asked, pulling me into a large chair and cradling me in his arms.

“After. I want to enjoy some quiet time with you before I hear about my hateful uncle,” I said, snuggling into his arms. He held me tightly, his cheek pressed to my hair. I reached up and caressed his skin, feeling the prickliness of his facial hair. He sighed, tightening his hold on me. “Do you think I’m weak?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“What? Never,” he almost growled. “Bella, you are the strongest person I’ve ever met. You are handling all of this with so much power and grace.”

“Then, why is everything falling apart?” I sniffled. “Why do I feel like I’m losing all control?”

“Because, in a way, you are. And it’s not your fault,” Edward soothed. “This war has been going on for hundreds of years. We don’t know why. Hopefully, the stealth ships will gather that information from Lapus.”

“I thought that the Federation didn’t have cloaking technology,” I said.

“We don’t. They are very small ships that cannot be detected by satellites. They are a part of the War Fleet, housed in the larger battle cruisers. The cruisers usually remain hidden behind an asteroid or moon while the stealth ships gather pictures, information and download data from enemy computers. They are not designed for long-distance travel. Short range, interplanetary and not built for fighting. They are fact-finding machines with huge computers for such tiny ships.”

“What do you hope to find in the Alphan computers?”

“The truth about how they got to Forx. Why they are so hell-bent on the Cygnarians? Proof of Jakob’s deal to buy you,” he said darkly.

The door chimed and the servants came in with our meal, setting it up on the balcony overlooking the Renien Ocean. Edward thanked them and we settled onto the balcony. Edward kept me on his lap, feeding me from his plate. He was clingy and based off the last thing he said before our meal was delivered, he had every right to be. Apparently, I had been sold to Jakob. I assumed that Norex brokered the deal, but I didn’t know for certain. Edward’s mind was quiet to me and he was evasive during our dinner.

After we ate, Edward led me to a chaise lounge. The sun had completely set and the moons of Forx shimmered over the Renien Ocean, casting us in a cool, blue glow. The air was cool, but not frigid. Edward wrapped me in his arms and he sighed. With another heavy sigh, he opened his mind to me and showed me the interrogation of Norex.

“My uncle sold me,” I whispered, shocked at this truth.

“To Jakob. Norex and his wife received a large shipment of _marchesian_ stones. Rose and Jasper discovered this the day we left for Ch’ich. They were trying to find proof that Norex was ultimately behind it, but they can’t. The orders for the stones and your sale to Jakob have come from deep within the Cygnarian computers. I’ve got my best men working on this, but it’s written in a language that none of us understand. I’m hoping J’amaru can provide some headway with the language, but there is someone from within our government that wants the Alphans to invade Forx. They do not want the Federation to take over. They’d rather the Alphans have their way with you.”

“I can’t believe anyone in my …” I trailed off. “Why? They know what the Alphans are capable of.”

“I don’t know, Bella,” Edward said quietly, tightening his hold on me. “I do know that we need to find the person or persons responsible for these acts of treason. Norex and his wife are guilty of that and they need to pay for their crimes.”

“I assume we need to punish them according to the laws of the Federation,” I said, frowning. “I can’t execute them?”

“There are a few capital crimes in the Federation. Treason is one of them,” Edward replied, cupping my chin. He stared into my eyes. His own were filled with concern. “You are well within your right to execute your uncle and his wife. But, I think that we can use them, try and get them to snuff out the real conspirator. We need to find who is really behind this. Norex is just the public face. According to Rose, he is _terrified_ of Jakob. He feels justified in selling you, though.”

“I’m not a side of _pr’aatale_ ,” I growled.

“I never said you were, love,” Edward said calmly. “Besides, Jakob cannot have you. You are my mate, my love, my _ti’ane,_ my _te’atée._ I’m not going to give you up. Not without a fight, Bella. He will have to kill me first.”

“I don’t want that,” I barked, turning in his arms and straddling his legs. “I can’t live without you, Edward. I can’t.”

“And you won’t have to. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that,” he said, taking my face into his hands. “We will get to the bottom of this. I promise you.” He kissed me, his lips soft and tender against mine. “For now, Norex is being held in a cell. He will be tried for his crimes, but we need as much evidence as we can muster. We also need to talk to his wife, but just prior to dinner, Jasper contacted me. Norex’s wife, Lianette and all of her children are gone from their apartment in the Imperial Palace.”

“Where are they?”

“I don’t know. Every article of clothing and personal belonging was gone. And from the chaos left, they left in a hurry. Do you know if Norex has any other properties? On the planet or on any outposts?”

“I don’t know. I was never close to Norex. I barely tolerated him,” I shuddered. “He and my father never got along. My father was an idealist, but Norex was an opportunist. He saw his opportunity with me, selling me to that animal.” I gulped, looking back into my mate’s eyes. “Norex will pay for his sins.”

“He will, **_Fíorghrá._** **I promise you, he will get his just desserts,” Edward said, his lips spreading into an evil, angry grin. I’d never seen Edward like this, but it made me want him. The anger and darkness swirling in his eyes made him more alluring. His vow to protect me made me quiver. Not out of fear, but out of want. Edward recognized it and he swept me in his arms, taking me to our bedroom.**

**He spent the rest of the night, helping me forget the betrayal of my uncle, the disappearance of my aunt and the looming threat of war hanging over us.**

**xx STAR CROSSED xx**

The next day, the Imperial Guard went on a search for my aunt and my cousins. Edward also had some of the security officers from the _Volvo_ work with the guard. A week had passed and she was nowhere to be found. She was not on the planet. Our next step was to look at Cygnarian outposts, colonies and habitable planets in route to Lapus.

A couple of days later, Maralice had gathered all of the information about the governors and nobles that Edward had asked for, along with a few others who had now aligned themselves with Norex’s cause. He had built quite the following in overthrowing the Imperial Government. I had a pretty large bounty on my head, supposedly. Edward wanted me to leave Forx, to go back to Earth with his mother and sister, but I couldn’t abandon my people.

I had to be strong for them.

I couldn’t run away despite my fear of being handed over to the Alphans.

I refused to be perceived as a coward.

My mate was still afraid that something was going to happen to me. I was now armed to the teeth under my finery. I trained with Jasper, Rose and Edward. I was becoming physically stronger every day. My fighting skills were being honed and perfected. I didn’t feel like a princess, being locked in a tower. I felt like I could hold my own and not shake in terror if I came face to face with an Alphan.

That didn’t stop Edward from finding a bodyguard for me. With the help of Maralice, we found an agile fighter, former military, who was willing to be my shadow. He was D’Metri’s cousin, S’ethr. He had been on the front lines for many years. After ten years of service, my father had offered S’ethr a position on the guard as a form of retirement. S’ethr declined it, moving back to a small fishing village near Ch’ich, Achre, where he taught young men how to fight. S’ethr’s village was one of the few that were attacked numerous times by Alphans. It was rare they would make it to the planet, but when they did, they would send their warriors down to the same four places. The Imperial City, Achre, the royal shipyards on the southern tip of the continent, and a remote mountain village where we mined our dilithium crystals. There wasn’t a lot inside the mine, but the Alphans had stolen a great deal from us when they did attack.

Additionally, I had yet to visit my uncle. Though, he had asked me to come speak with him on a daily basis. I just couldn’t do it. From what Edward told me, Norex had sold me to Jakob and arranged for the death of my father. Upon further investigation, Norex had leaked the whereabouts of my father’s ship to Jakob and the Alphan military. According to the report that Captain Data had found, Norex believed that if my father had died, he’d become the emperor. He would rule our people, but according to Cygnarian law, only the oldest child of the current emperor or empress could take over if there were no other heirs.

The only way Norex would become emperor was if both Charanel and I were dead. With the protection around us, both Cygnarian and Federation, that was an unlikely situation. And with Norex in prison for high treason, the possibility of him becoming emperor dropped to nil.

Who would accept him as the emperor when he had sold us out to our arch enemy? Not many.

The nobles and governors that Edward asked Maralice to investigate had also disappeared. Two weeks after Norex’s crimes were made public, there houses were emptied and burning. Upon further investigation, there were no bodies inside the houses. Just ruined homes and charred ashes. Lt. Commander Anderson believed that they burnt down their homes to prevent us from reading their private communications with each other and going off the planet. With a smirk, he said that fires wouldn’t prevent their secrets from being lost. Almost everything sent out or received was backed up on the Imperial Computer or in some cases, the computer from each city or town.

We had their outgoing communications, but the messages they received were encrypted or in the same language that no one could decipher. Not even Captain Data. It was too complex. J’amaru had some luck since it appeared to be an ancient Cygnarian language, but what he translated didn’t make any sense. It was jumbled, sounding more like gibberish than covert communication amongst traitors. We needed to get one of the missing nobles, asking them what all of this meant.

Edward suggested that I ask Norex, but that meant I had to talk to him. I didn’t want to talk to him. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to put my new training to good use. I really wanted to see if my new blade that was attached my thigh under my dress was as efficient at killing my uncle as it was killing my holodeck opponents. Edward tried to ask Norex, but he wouldn’t say anything to my mate except that I’d only speak with me. It angered Edward and frustrated me. Stubbornly, I chose to not speak with Norex. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

I was still the empress. Norex was just a shamed lord and forever be remembered that way.

After we spent some time with Charanel, Edward and I made love, bonding and comforting each other in the only way we could at the moment. We were cuddled in our bed. Edward’s fingers were tracing my spots along my back. “I wish you would speak with Norex, Bella,” he whispered, his nose nuzzling my hair.

“If I go to see him, he won’t be alive for very much longer,” I said, clenching my fists on my mate’s chest.

“Bella, he could be the only one who could help us translate these messages. What J’amaru and Data are coming up with is honestly rubbish and confusing as hell,” Edward said, cupping my chin. He pleaded with me, his eyes begging me. “Norex will only speak with you. Only you.”

“Who’s to say if he will actually tell me something?” I asked, sitting up. “What if wants to talk with me only to mess with my head, Edward?”

“I’ll be there,” he murmured, running his fingers down my cheek. “Inside, I’ll be there. I won’t let him fuck with you.”

“I’m afraid that he won’t tell us anything,” I grumbled, climbing over Edward’s body and burying my nose into the crook of his neck.

“Rose is certain he knows something,” Edward whispered, his lips finding the sweet spot behind my ear. I whimpered, shuddering against him. His mouth was hot and wet on my skin. Something inside of me wanted _more_ from him and based off what I was feeling beneath me, so did he. I grasped his arousal and slid down his length. Edward groaned, holding me so tightly. I rocked over him, feeling every centimeter of his erection within me. He kissed me, devouring my mouth as he guided my hips over his body. My hands were buried in his hair. I wanted to get ever closer to my mate, my _ti’ane_. I needed his love. I needed his support. I needed his strength. I just needed him. “You have me, **_Fíorghrá._** **Always, my love.”**

**“Edward,” I breathed, leaning back and rotating my hips to push him deeper. His lips wrapped around my breast, flicking it with his tongue. I moaned, lost in the feelings of everything that my mate was doing to me. Edward bit down on my nipple, causing me to cry out and my body clench around his hardness. His thumb found the bundle of nerves at the top of my center, rubbing it roughly. With a torrent of pleasure, I screamed as my body hummed in ecstasy. Edward grunted as he spilled inside, filling me with his own release. I collapsed against his shoulder. He fell back, bringing me with him and his hands were cupping my behind. I kept my body wrapped around his for as long as I could. I felt empty when he slipped out of me. With a heavy sigh, I opened my mind to my mate. _I’ll speak to my uncle._**

**“Good,” Edward replied, kissing my forehead. “But, that’s the last time we’ll speak of him while naked. I’d rather be doing other things.”**

**I giggled, nodding. And we did do _other_ things until we collapsed in a sated heap. **

The next day, I dressed in a simple navy dress and my hair braided down my back. Edward was dressed in his uniform, looking powerful and intimidating. We were going down to Norex’s cell to talk to him. Or rather, I was going to talk to him. Edward was going to remain outside while I spoke to Norex. It was made abundantly clear that if my mate was anywhere nearby, my uncle would not say anything. Apparently, my uncle forget about the mental connection that mates shared.

Regardless of what he said, Edward would know about it since I would keep my mind open to him.

I was still armed underneath my dress. I was antsy, willing to end my uncle, but only after I got the information I needed. So, armed with two tablets, my blade and a surly attitude, I punched in the access code to the prison wing of the palace. Edward kissed my temple, encouraging me mentally. _Kick his ass, Bella. Don’t let him intimidate you._

I smirked, continuing on to the solitary cell in the rear of the prison. The guards stood at attention. I nodded to them and they both left. My uncle was wearing the same clothes from he was brought in. They were dirty and he looked unkempt. I could only imagine how he smelled. He’d been down here for over a month with only a tiny toilet and leaky sink. Thankfully, the force field that kept him separated from me also kept his stench at bay.

“You wanted to see me, traitor?” I sneered.

“I am no traitor,” he snapped. “It’s you, you _xytiria._ ”

“Oh, no,” I said, sitting down daintily on the bench opposite his cell. “You were the one who was in contact with someone on Lapus. You were the one who sold me to Crown Prince Jakob. You were the one who tried to take over the throne!”

“I would have been a better emperor than you,” he snarled. “This nonsense with the Alphans would have been over. We would have had a peace treaty and all would have been perfect. But, no! The antiquated Cygnarian law said that you were the empress. That you would take control of our planet. You are a child. A child that is mated to a _snirap!_ You are not worthy of being the empress.”

He kept bellowing his displeasure. I just sat there, glaring at him until he finished his blathering. “Are you done?” I asked, leaning back on my hands. He glared at me. “You are in here, waiting for your trial. You are in here because you are being charged with high treason. Do you know what will happen if you are found guilty, Norex?”

“I won’t be found guilty,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “There are so many people who agree with me, Nirabelle.”

“And almost all of those people are not on Forx,” I snickered. “Your little cronies are gone, Norex. We don’t know where, but your wife, your children and about thirty other people are gone. That is not a lot of followers. Certainly not enough to vote you not guilty. You will die, Norex. You will be beheaded for your crimes and your status as a noble will not save you. Nor will your supposed alliance with Jakob.” Norex seemed surprised at what I had said. With a grin, I placed one of the tablets I was carrying onto a small transporter pad. Pressing a few buttons it disappeared from my side and onto the same pad inside Norex’s cell. “I can ask for leniency, Norex. I am the empress, after all. You don’t have to die for your crimes. You can live out your days in exile, but you’d live. Your head will still be attached to your body.”

He gave me a snide look. “You don’t want me to live. It’s driving you crazy to not kill me right now.”

“Be that as it may, Norex,” I said, arching a brow. “If you help us, I will consider asking for leniency. Look at that tablet. All of your comrades have received messages from Lapus in this language. They’ve even conversed with each other using it. We cannot decipher it and don’t even know where to look. If you can help me, then you will live out your days on Cygnaria Prime, living in the desert with the bare necessities.”

Norex picked up the tablet, scanning through the messages. I could see it in his eyes. He recognized what was being said. With a snort, he tossed it back on the transporter pad. “Never seen it. Never heard of it.”

A quiet buzz alerted me to my own tablet. It was a message from Rose. _He’s lying. He knows what it is and it’s scaring him._

I listened to my mate, seeing that Rose was standing next to him. “I don’t believe you, Norex. You’re trembling.” I pointed out to his shaking hand. He clenched a fist, glaring at me. “Try again. You know what was written on that tablet. You tell me and you will live out the rest of your days. I promise you.”

“I may receive leniency from you, but not from them,” he whispered, barely audible. He closed his eyes and for a moment, his bravado slipped away. My uncle looked _older_ and so very frightened. He had been the puppet in this whole thing. With whatever decision he made, he collapsed like a puppet who lost its strings. We needed to find the puppet master. They were the ones responsible for my father’s death and Jakob’s delusion of conquering me.

With a sigh, Norex looked up at me. He stared at me for an undetermined time. His eyes were swirling with questions, emotions and something else that I couldn’t figure out. He picked up the tablet, punching in a few numbers. He put it back on the transporter, sending back to me. “It’s deciphered. Also, there are coordinates for where everyone went. You won’t be able to figure out who is in charge, Nirabelle. I may have given you a small victory, but there is a long war ahead of you. And you will not win.”

**A/N: So, who do you think is the ‘puppet master’? What do you think will happen with Norex? Will Nirabelle keep to her word?**

**Now, I know that I haven’t updated this in like _forever_. I do apologize for that. I’m in the process of changing how I’m updating fics. Rotating them is tough. So, I’m choosing one and finishing it before turning to another. This one is especially tough since there is the mystery element and the new language element (see below for an abbreviated glossary). I also don’t know how long this story is going to be since I’m working on building up the climax (which I have an idea, but I need to see if it works). I do know that the next chapter will be in EPOV and will be off of Forx. We’re taking a trip on the _Volvo_. We need to investigate these coordinates. Was Norex actually telling the truth or is he leading them into a trap?**

**There are a few pictures with this chapter. You can find them on my blogs (links for both of them are on my profile) and tumblr. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79. I’d appreciate some loving! So, yeah…thanks for sticking it with me!**

**Hugs!**

_Pisc ~ a very large Cygnarian fish_

_Zi’tkm ~ a catatonic state where the victim is in a never ending nightmare. Only the mate of the victim can successfully pull them out of zi’tkm_

_Pr’aatale ~ a combination of a cow, deer and horse. Tastes like venison and is the size of a bull. Cygnarian version of beef._

 


	11. Chapter 11

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**So, who do you think is the ‘puppet master’? What do you think will happen with Norex? Will Nirabelle keep to her word? I do know that the next chapter will be in EPOV and will be off of Forx. We’re taking a trip on the _Volvo_. We need to investigate these coordinates. Was Norex actually telling the truth or is he leading them into a trap?**

**Chapter Eleven**

**EPOV**

I was sitting outside of the room that held Norex’s holding cell. The two Imperial Guards were waiting, shifting anxiously at Bella being inside, unattended. Their anxiety didn’t help my own. I shifted on my seat, wanting to run inside to pull Bella back. I was a fool to suggest that she speak with Norex. Rose came inside, sitting next to me and giving me a look. “Your anxiety was felt from all the way in the school. Charanel was squirming from what I was feeling from you, Captain. I pushed it out toward him.”

“Sorry. I just hate that she’s in there with him,” I said, my nose wrinkling. “I know I pushed it, but damn. The guy is a fucking weasel.”

“He is. Everything he says is dripping with lies and derision. His hatred of Bella is deep seated and clouds his every move,” Rose explained. “Even now, he is barely containing his contempt for her.”

“What about Charanel? Does Norex care for him?” I asked, feeling for my brother-in-law. He had grown up with Charel, knowing what it was like to have a loving father. But, when he died, his father figure became Norex and we all knew what a peach he was.

“Oh, he abhors Charanel. The poor kid told me about how Norex would wish death upon Charanel, calling him a waste of skin, air and space. He was too stupid do anything worthy. For some strange reason, Charanel loves him. I think because Norex is related to his father and is the last thing holding his memory of Charel,” Rose said. “Nirabelle is more like their mother, ruling like Charel. Norex is almost the spitting image of Charel, but with a black heart. The guy is truly a fucking monster.”

My insecurities came roaring forward. I wondered if Charanel loved me. I knew that I loved him deeply. He was my mate’s younger brother. He needed my help, my guidance and I was so willing to do it. Charanel was so sweet and lovable. I couldn’t help but adore him. Rose must have recognized my feelings. She placed her hand on my shoulder. “Charanel loves Norex, but he would die for you, just like he would die for Bella. You are his biggest fan, his playmate and protector. The love I feel from him toward you is white, innocent and blinding.” Rose stopped talking, focusing her abilities to the two people in the other room. “Ooooh, he’s so lying. Whatever he said, it’s the farthest thing from the truth.”

“Here,” I said, handing her a tablet that was connected to Bella’s. Rose quickly tapped out a message. I felt Bella inside my mind, making note of Rose. She thanked her, through me and the conversation continued with Norex. “She was showing him the messages we uncovered from all of those missing nobles. He said that he didn’t recognize it.”

“Oh, he recognized it. It scared the shit out of him, too,” she spat. “Norex isn’t the person in charge of this coup. He’s just the public face.”

“Bella’s offering him leniency,” I said, listening to her thoughts.

“She’s lying, too,” Rose snickered, her golden eyes twinkling.

“Oh, I know,” I smirked. My mate was nothing short of amazing. She was so strong, smart and undeniably sexy. She was everything I had ever wanted in a wife, a partner, a mate.

_Tone down those sexual feelings, Edward. I’m trying to get information from my uncle. I do not want to lose my focus on him because you’re horny._

I barked out a laugh, causing Rose to look at me funny. I calmed down, apologizing to Bella mentally. Then, I turned back to Rose. “She just wants answers. Answers that only Norex and these missing nobles can give.” Through Bella’s eyes, I saw that Norex just gave up. He punched in some information and transported the tablet back to my mate. Her fear about crippled me and her anger was off the charts.

“Wow, he’s completely surrendered, but it’s because his fear is taking over,” Rose murmured. “This is bigger than anything we ever imagined, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” I answered, running my hand through my hair. Bella walked back out into the lobby. She clutched the tablet, her face ashen and drawn. I got up, taking her in my arms. My mate collapsed into them willingly, clutching my uniform jacket. Rose snuck out as the guards went back into the jail. Pressing my cheek to her hair, I thought, _I heard almost everything. He caved?_

She didn’t respond, just handing me the tablet with the now deciphered codes. I took it, looking it over. Norex had given us the means to translate the messages and had translated the one on the tablet I was holding. I had confirmed everything he had told me. It was written out, with receipt of the payment of the _marchesian_ stones into his personal account here on Forx. They were no longer in that account, but the proof was there. The fucker had sold his only niece, the empress of the Cygnarian people, to Jakob for the cost of a small starship. The sad thing was that it wasn’t Norex’s decision. Whoever was in charge made the call and their identity was hidden. Not even the translation matrix deciphered that. It still remained a complex, unreadable symbol. _Will you still give him leniency?_

“His fate is already written,” Bella said grimly. “His execution will happen at daybreak.” _Let’s meet with your father and the remaining Galaxy Fleet personnel. There is a set of coordinates in the message. It’s where all of those nobles escaped to. We need to go to them._ I pressed a kiss to Bella’s temple. She snuggled into my side before pulling away. She was standing taller, determined to end all of this.

I tapped my communicator, asking my father, Captain Picard, Captain Data and the captain of the most recent arrival, the _Vanquish,_ Captain Will Riker to join us in the conference room next to Bella’s office. We scheduled the meeting for after lunch. Bella said she wanted to see Charanel, love up on him since she had heard my conversation with Rose. Her brother needed some extra attention at the moment. He had been ignored for so long by Norex and Bella’s position made it difficult for her to really spend time with him.

In the school room, Charanel was working with his tutor. He was working with paper and pencil, drawing feverishly. “What’s he doing?” I asked.

“Charanel may be developmentally delayed, but he is an amazing artist,” Bella replied, threading her fingers with mine. “We tried to get him to work with computers, but he loved to sketch on paper with pencils, making some of the most beautiful pieces. The small picture in our bedroom, the one of my father? Charanel drew that.”

“The picture of you, Charanel and your dad?” I whispered. She blushed, nodding. “I thought it was a commissioned piece.”

“No. Charanel drew that from his memory. It was from one our favorite summers down in Ch’ich. We spent the day playing on the pink sand, making sand castles and frolicking in the waves,” Bella mused, her voice wistful. “That was what Charanel remembered and you can see that we were all so happy.”

Charanel must have heard us talk about him. He put his pencil down, looking up to see the two of us. He pushed back from his seat and ran to Bella, enfolding her into a loving hug. “Nirabelle! I missed you,” he said, crushing her to his body.

“I missed you, too,” she said, rubbing her hands along Charanel’s back. “It’s been too long since we’ve had a picnic. Why don’t we have one today?”

He beamed, nodding excitedly. He let Bella go, running back to his table, where the tutor was sitting with a warm grin. Charanel picked up the picture he was working on, galumphing back to where we were standing. He clutched it to his chest, his spots deepening in color as he blushed. “Ed, I have something for you,” Charanel said, his words jumbled and hard to understand. Shyly, he handed me the picture. Drawn in perfect detail was a picture of me and Bella. The love radiating between the two of us was clear as day. My hand was cupped on her cheek, caressing her skin with my thumb. She was on my lap, smiling softly, her mouth so close to mine. Her fingers were tangled in my hair at the nape of my neck just above my uniform. My other hand was wrapped around her tiny waist, holding her close to my body. “You love my sissy.” He clumsily repeated the Cygnarian phrase, “ _Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari._ ”

“I do, Charanel,” I murmured, just staring at the perfect picture. “This is so beautiful.”

“You and Nirabelle are beautiful,” he said, standing next to me and pointing to the picture. “It’s a present for _Hisnari_. I know it’s late.”

“Charanel, this is the best gift I’ve ever received,” I said honestly. “This will be framed and put on my desk. It means so much to me that you drew this.”

“I only draw for people I love, _fei’rene,_ ” Charanel admitted quietly. “Norex got no pictures.” His eyes darkened and he growled lowly. “Only Nirabelle and Father. Norex called me _yanhesh._ Norex hated me.” He frowned deeply, so angry. “I’m not a _yanhesh,_ am I?”

“Norex was wrong, Charanel. You are so special,” I said, placing the picture on the table next to me before I hugged him. Charanel gripped me so tightly, his sobs breaking my heart. “ _Te’une fei’rene._ Always.”

“ _Te’une fei’rene,_ ” he replied, his voice deep and raspy. “You are my true brother and my family.”

“As you are mine,” I said. He nodded, giving me a goofy, lopsided grin. “Shall we go outside? Enjoy the sun?” Eagerly, Charanel dragged me out of the school room. Bella was speaking with the tutor, asking him to take my picture and give it to Maralice to be framed. Charanel ran into D’Metri, asking for food for our picnic. His excitement was palpable and my envoy couldn’t help but chuckle. I clarified Charanel’s request and D’Metri snuck away to the kitchens to have our meal prepared and delivered to the south lawn. Bella and I walked with Charanel, settling onto a blue blanket and a pile of fluffy blue pillows on the grass.

We enjoyed a delicious meal before Bella and I had to go to work, planning an excursion to these coordinates to this undisclosed location. I didn’t recognize the coordinates, but it was just along the Neutral Zone, between the Alphan system and the Reman home world. We met up with the other captains and my father in the conference room. Commander Whitlock, Lt. Commander Anderson, and Commander Volturi joined us along with Maralice, D’Metri and Council of Elders. Though, Caius was noticeably absent.

I sat down at the head of the table with Bella, threading our fingers together. Outwardly, she was composed but mentally, she was struggling with all of this new information. Once everyone was settled, I squeezed her hand before turning to my colleagues and friends. “Thank you for coming. We’ve received some new information regarding this coded language and Norex’s position in all of this.” I placed the tablet onto the table, projecting it to the large screen on the wall. “Someone, we don’t know who, has been in contact with the Alphan home world. They brokered a deal to sell Empress Nirabelle to Crown Prince Jakob for a thousand _marchesian_ stones. Unknowingly, the _Volvo_ transported her to Lapus to finalize the deal. Lord Norex received payment once Empress Nirabelle transported down to the surface.” I pointed out the dates, translated into star dates for the Galaxy Fleet personnel. “This date was just prior to the communication to Galaxy Fleet, asking for help from Admiral Cullen. The exact location of where the signal originated is unclear. The only thing we know for certain was that it came from Forx, sent to the Lapus capital. Then, a Turulian freighter captain transported the stones to Lord Norex just as Empress Nirabelle arrived on the planet’s surface.”

“How do you know that the Alphans sent the stones?” Aro questioned. “Perhaps it was the Turulians.”

“Unlikely,” I said. “On the Turulian home world, _marchesian_ stones do not happen naturally. They also are very rare since they are used in the production of creating synthetic _dilithium._ Also, the Turulian freighter had stopped at an Alphan outpost just prior to arriving in the Cygnarian system. Lapus may be a dying planet, but it is rich with _marchesian_ ore. We’d have to examine the stones to verify their origin. Lord Norex is not very forthcoming about the location of the payment. My guess is that they are with Liannette, his mate.”

“And where is Norex’s mate?” Captain Riker asked.

“Here,” I replied, punching up the coordinates that Norex had provided for us. “It’s a small planetoid near the Neutral Zone, between the Alphan system and the Reman.” I turned, frowning slightly. “Though, this is all supposition. We don’t know if they are _really_ there. Lord Norex provided us with the translation matrix. He could be lying. We just don’t know.”

“I’m shocked that Lord Norex would do such a thing,” Aro said, shaking his head slightly. “Yes, he was opposed to your mating, but he was always an advocate for the Cygnarian people.”

“He accused me of treason,” Bella snarled, her spots sizzling and glowing a deep red. “He is the traitor and will pay for his crimes.”

“Empress …” Aro chided.

“No! My mind is made up. Lord Norex will die for his crimes, for his treasonous lies he spread. His execution is set for daybreak. We leave for this planetoid immediately after,” she said, her eyes narrowing.

“Empress Nirabelle, execution is banned in the Federation,” Captain Data said.

“There are a few crimes that allow execution as a suitable punishment, Captain,” I argued. “Treason is one of them. Slavery and trafficking of sentient beings is another. Lord Norex committed both of those crimes. I stand by her decision to execute Lord Norex. He did unspeakable things to his people and to his own niece.”

“He’s right, Captain,” my father said. “Execution isn’t a normal punishment, but acts like treason and the trafficking of sentient beings are capital crimes according to our laws. The Cygnarians are well within their rights to execute Lord Norex.”

“I agree with Captain Data,” Captain Riker retorted, his lips pressed into tight, firm line. “Lord Norex should be incarcerated for life, not killed.”

“This isn’t a discussion,” Bella hissed, standing up and her body glowing in anger. “We may be a part of the Federation, but I’m still the leader of the Cygnarian people. What my _uncle_ did was abhorrent and he needs to pay for his crimes! He. Sold. Me. To. A. Monster! He betrayed his own people, getting in bed with the Alphans! At daybreak, Norex’s head will be forcibly removed from his body and he will die. And if that means our admittance to the Federation is forfeit, then so be it.” Bella shot out of the room, her anger consuming her. All of it was directed to Captain Riker and Captain Data.

Captain Picard picked up his own tablet, putting it front of his former first officer, Captain Riker. “The Cygnarians can and will execute Lord Norex. We cannot stop them. Punitive Decree 3.1.” He turned to me, nodding slightly. “The _Enterprise_ and the _Volvo_ will go to this planetoid. Contact us when you are ready to depart, Emperor.”

“Thank you, Captain,” I said, nodding reverently. “If you all will excuse me, I need to check on the Empress.”

“May we use the room to go over the preliminary findings from the stealth ships?” asked Admiral Cullen.

“Help yourselves,” I smiled, walking toward the door. Aro was glowering at the table and Marcusi was staring, in shock, at the tablet that held the translated information from Norex. I sighed, leaving them in the room. Focusing on my mate, I found her in the Emperor’s quarters. I walked quickly, using my hand to open the door. Bella was sitting on the couch, curled up and holding a piece from the _zegge_ board. She turned it over and over again, just staring at the smooth edges and the deep plum color of the game piece. “Are you okay?”

“No,” she whispered, clutching the piece to her hand. “This is all too much. I don’t know if I can do this.” _My father could do anything. He could rally the troops, performing mating ceremonies, cuddle babies, resolve land disputes and not even appear fazed. All of that, plus time to spend with me and Charanel. I wish he was back. I want him back, Edward. He would know what to do._ She buried her head into her hands and sobbed. I walked to her side, gathering her trembling body and holding her tightly.

“I’m here, Bella. I’m not going anywhere,” I whispered, rocking her gently. She cried, one hand clutched on my uniform and the other holding the game piece. She eventually calmed down, collapsing against my body. “I can’t presume to know what you’re feeling. I mean, I can feel it through our connection, but …”

 _I understand what you’re saying,_ she said wearily.

“You feel like you have the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. And, in reality, you do,” I said, kissing her temple. “But, you’re not alone, Bella. I’m with you. I understand what you’re feeling. When I first stepped onto the bridge of the _Volvo_ and the control was handed over to me, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. My training had prepared me for the job, but in the back of my mind, I wasn’t ready. Hell, there are days where I still feel like I’m not ready. You are in charge and responsible for all of those lives on that ship. You are responsible for anything happens while you’re in command, both good and bad.”

“You’re an amazing captain,” Bella breathed. “I can tell that you love and respect your crew. You’d do anything for them.”

“Just like you would for your people,” I countered. “Don’t let this get you down. Norex has never liked you or your brother. It’s because once you were born, he lost his right to the throne.” Her brows furrowed. “Now, he is using that anger to hand over the Cygnarian people over to the Alphans.”

“But, it wasn’t him. He was just the person … He … ugh!” she groaned. “Someone else is telling him what to do, Edward. Who?”

 _If I had to hazard a guess? Caius,_ I thought to her. Bella’s eyes widened and she sat up, shocked at my accusation. _He wasn’t at that meeting. Remember what Victoria said?_

 _There was a bad aura around Caius,_ Bella replied. _Why? Why would he …?_

“I don’t know. There are a lot of questions that are left unanswered, Bella,” I murmured, cupping her cheek. She leaned into it, her fingers threading with mine. Her eyes fluttered shut and she cuddled closer to my body. “What is this?” I asked, picking up the game piece that was now resting on her lap.

“My father and I used to play _zegge_ whenever he was trying to work through things. It calmed his mind. I was the only opponent that challenged him, so we had a standing date,” she said, holding up the deep purple game piece. “He was the white pieces where I was the purple. We were in the middle of a game when he got the call that there was a breach in the defensive line. He left in his battle cruiser, never returning to me.”

“How do you play?” I asked. “Perhaps what worked for your father may help you.”

“It’s not an easy game. There is a lot of strategy,” Bella said, arching a brow.

“I’ll have you know that I’m a Grand Master in chess,” I snickered. “It looks similar. I’m willing to try if you’re willing to teach me, Bella.”

“Okay,” she said, getting off my lap. She set up the game board, sitting across from me. Patiently, she explained each piece and the rules for moving them. It was far more involved than chess, but I was eager to try it out. Bella kicked my ass in the first game, but I was still learning the rules of engagement. I had made some huge strategic mistakes during the first game, but the second game I came close to taking her _zegge_ , which was like the queen in chess. With the distraction, Bella seemed calmer, more focused. Her mind wasn’t thinking about her failures, but about how to solve the problem. The game had helped her like it had for her father.

We played the game well into the night. Maralice found us in the emperor suite as we played our tenth game. I was determined to beat her and I was so close. Three moves and victory would be mine, but Maralice had other ideas. Or rather, Norex did. “Empress, Lord Norex wishes to speak with you,” she said.

“Damn it,” I grumped, glaring at the game board. “So close!”

“What does he want, Maralice?” Bella asked, not moving from her seat.

“He wishes to plead his case for exile. He overheard the guards talking about the preparations for his execution,” Maralice replied.

“He can plead all he wants. He’s still going to die,” Bella said callously. “Nothing will change my mind. He betrayed his people. He betrayed his brother. He betrayed me.”

“I understand, Empress,” Maralice said, twisting her hands nervously. “It’s just that he thinks that he can be of help to our cause. He can help us find the missing nobles.”

“He’s manipulating us,” Bella barked, standing up harshly. “I will meet with him. If Rose believes he’s telling the truth, he will come with us to the planetoid. If he is lying, he will no longer be allowed to live.”

“Cullen to Halé,” I said, tapping my communicator.

“Halé here,” she replied.

“We need you to come down to the surface,” I said. “Norex is proving to be a pain in the ass.”

“I could have told you that,” she snickered. “I’ll be right down, sir. Halé out.” My communicator chirped and I got up. Wrapping my arms around Bella’s waist, I led her to the steps that led us to the cell where Norex was being detained. Rose transported to the lobby just as we reached the prison level. “I can tell you right now, he’s brimming with anxiety but he’s hiding something, too.”

“What I wouldn’t give to hear inside of his mind?” Bella snapped, walking inside. Norex was glaring at Maralice and D’Metri. Jasper was standing off to the side, almost snarling. Norex was wearing his food since it appeared he had had a temper tantrum.

“I see you’ve decided to grace me with your presence, Empress,” Norex sneered. “Have you considered my request? You should since you lied to me!”

“Why would I trust you?” Bella asked, her posture rigid and her eyes nearly black with disdain for him. “Your actions have signed your death certificate. Nothing you can say can stop me from having you executed, Norex. We have proof that you sold me. We have proof that worked with the Alphans! You. Are. Dead.”

“He’s terrified, Bella,” Rose said. “He doesn’t want to die.”

“Did my father want to die?” she hissed. “Did you care about that when you informed the Alphans about my father’s whereabouts?”

“That wasn’t me!” Norex wailed, his eyes wide and his hands shaking.

Bella looked back at Rose. “He’s telling the truth,” Rose said curtly.

“You may have given us the means to translate these secret messages, but that does not, in no way, absolve you of your transgressions, Norex,” Bella said fiercely. She glared at him, staring directly into his eyes. “At dawn, you will be brought to the _giju’ri_ stadium and you will pay for your lies, your betrayals, your treason, with your life. Nothing will sway me to give you leniency. You may not have given the Alphans my father’s location, but your involvement in all of this contributed to his death.” She looked at Jasper and the two guards. “Have him ready to meet his fate at _shi’leek_. He will not receive _H’aarune._ It’s his final punishment. His body will be burned and tossed away like the _q’nan_ he is.”

“No! NO! Please!” he begged, clawing at the frame of the cell. “Nirabelle! Please! Have mercy! Do not do this! Please! _Te’rene h’aarune non his’patte. Y’garre exputte exspi al m’griitte!_ ”

“You should have considered that when you sold me to Crown Prince Jakob,” she sneered. _“T’garre shnaak al!_ ” She looked at me, her eyes black with hatred and her mind in shambles. _Get me out of here, Edward. I cannot … I just sentenced my uncle to his death._

“I do not want Norex to be left unattended,” I barked, taking Bella into my arms. The guards grunted and stood on either side of Norex’s cell. He was sobbing brokenly. I led my mate up to our suite with Maralice on our heels and asked that we not be disturbed until we were to be brought to the _giju’ri_ stadium. Maralice made note of it and she scurried to her own quarters.

“Am I wrong?” Bella asked, her voice soft and unsure.

“Only you can answer that, Bella,” I said, turning her in my arms. I tipped her chin back and saw her blue eyes. They were lost, questioning what had happened. “Should Norex be killed for what he did?”

“Yes,” she answered, her eyes fluttering shut and tears streaming down her cheeks. “I just …”

“It’s hard,” I murmured, kissing her tears away. “But, if you believe that he should be put to death for his betrayal, then, I support you, Nirabelle. I’m always on your side.”

“ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” Bella whispered against my lips. “Take the ugliness away, Edward.”

“Always, _Fíorghrá_ ,” I said.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

Early the next morning, Bella and I got dressed to go to the _gij’uri_ stadium. Bella was dressed in all white with a simple circlet upon her head. I wore gray pants and a white jacket with a matching circlet. I was not acting as a Galaxy Fleet captain, but as the emperor of the Cygnarian people.

I knew that soon I’d have to make a decision on what I wanted to do. I had to choose one position or the other. I couldn’t continue to do both. My mind wanted to explore the stars, but my heart belonged to Bella. I was hopeful that there was a way for me to do both, but I’d have to figure that out after this situation was resolved with the Alphans.

Meeting Charanel, Maralice and D’Metri in the throne room, we all clambered into a waiting hover car to drive us to the stadium. It was a sleek black vehicle that reminded me of the muscle cars from centuries ago on Earth. I wanted to fly the hover car, but Bella was an anxious mess, worried that she had made the wrong decision. My incessant need to learn and explore had to be suppressed while I cared and loved for my mate.

We arrived at the _gij’uri_ stadium, ushered to the raised dais that overlooked that lush teal grass. It was opposite of the platform that would hold the Council of Elders as they read Norex’s sentence. In the center of the stadium, there was a large white platform with a microphone. To the right of that, a matching cylindrical piece was gleaming in the rising sun. Resting atop the white cylinder was a black, ornate axe. It was large and very sharp. Once we were settled, the crowds were allowed into the stadium, filling it to capacity. Behind us, almost all of the remaining Galaxy Fleet captains and their senior staff were seated. I turned, looking at my father. He nodded solemnly, giving me his approval of what was to happen in front of us today.

Once everyone was seated, the Council of Elders, including Caius, walked onto the platform. Aro and Marcusi’s faces were impassive, almost sad at what they were about to do. Caius looked absolutely livid. He kept his eyes on Bella the entire time and I could feel his contempt. I wasn’t empathic but it was clear as day. Caius must have had a hand in all of this. He had to be the puppet master, making all of the decisions. But, my suppositions had to be put on hold. The screams and boos from the crowd as Norex was frog marched into the stadium were deafening. He had been changed, wearing red from head to toe. Red was the color of anger and shame. From the stands, people were throwing garbage, rotted fruits and vegetables and rocks at Norex. He was covered with all of that by the time he was stopped in front of the platform, forced to his knees.

Counselor Marcusi took a scroll from within his robes and stood at the microphone. “Lord Norex, you have been charged of high treason and trafficking of another Cygnarian. Your crimes are as follows: you worked in concert with the leader of the Alphans, Crown Prince Jakob; you sold your niece, our Empress, Nirabelle to the prince for the cost of one thousand _marchesian_ stones; you conspired to overthrow the Imperial government with your lies; you knew of the Alphan attack on our _H’Nan_ colony, arranging for the shields to be disengaged and you leaked the whereabouts of Emperor Charel to the Alphan Fleet.”

“I did not! My brother’s death was not my fault,” Norex screamed, scrambling to his feet. “Another leaked that information. I do _not_ know who! I did not have my brother murdered!”

Marcusi looked at him coldly, blinking slowly and trying to maintain his composure. “How do you plead, Lord Norex?”

“Not guilty,” he spat. One of the guards forced him back to his knees.

“Upon further review of the evidence brought forth by an examination of your home, your finances and your communications, you have been found guilty,” Marcusi said, his voice resonating within the stadium. “Emperor, Empress, what is the sentence for Lord Norex?”

I looked at Nirabelle. She nodded before turning to Counselor Marcusi. “His sentence is death, Counselor. He is to be beheaded. Upon his death, Lord Norex will not receive _H’aarune_. He will spend all of eternity in hellfire and darkness. _T’garre exputtes exspi al m’gritte._ Let it be so.”

“Emperor?” Marcusi asked, tilting his head.

“ _T’garre exputtes exspi al m’gritte_. Let it be so,” I responded.

“No! NO! Please! I beg mercy,” Norex screamed as the guards picked him up. They dragged him to the white cylinder, tossing him ceremoniously onto it. A large Cygnarian walked out, his face covered with a white mask and his body bare save for a pair of white shorts and white boots. Norex tried to get up but the guards held him down, pinning him to the cylinder. Bella’s hand found mine and she squeezed my fingers. She was as white as a ghost, but her face was firm. The executioner looked up at Bella, picking up his axe.

“ _Bi’rech scown_ ,” Bella commanded. The executioner bowed. When he stood up, he raised the axe above his head, swinging it down quickly. Norex’s head rolled off and blood poured where the blade had severed his head from his body. Bella squeaked, clamping her eyes shut.

“It is done,” Marcusi said, looking down at the now dead Norex. “Guards, dispose of the body.” The guards picked up the limp form of Norex, dragging him with no reverence out of the stadium. The executioner picked up the head, tucking it under his arm and followed them. Marcusi took his spot next to Aro. The Council of Elders bowed, but Caius glared at my mate hatefully.

We left shortly after. Bella was barely able to stand up. She was still as pale as a ghost, trembling uncontrollably. I was terrified she’d fall back into _zi’tkm_ , but Maralice assured me she was just in shock at what she’d just witnessed. We rode back to the Imperial Palace. Bella was shaking, but not crying. I hated that my mate had to deal with all of this. We had successfully ended one traitor, but the bigger one was still out there.

And I believed that it was Caius.

**A/N: So, I said that we’d be going to the mystery coordinates, but it made sense to end it there. PLUS, I want to get Bella’s side of things as she comes to grips with the execution of her uncle. Plus, what I have planned for the next chapter makes more sense to be in Bella’s point of view.**

**Now, pictures are on my blog. Links for that are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. I also have a twitter: tufano79.**

**Up next we’ll be the continuation of where we left off, going to mystery coordinates, perhaps some lemony goodness and … and …**

**Leave me some and glossary is below!**

_Shi’leek ~ Dawn_

_H’aarune ~ Cygnarian funeral rite_

_Q’nan ~ piece of trash_

_Te’rene h’aarune non his’patte ~ Please grant mercy on my soul._

_Y’garre exputte exspi al m’griitte ~ You’ll banish me to an eternity of hellfire and darkness._

_T’garre shnaak al ~ You deserve it._

**_T’garre exputtes exspi al m’gritte ~ He is banished for all eternity in hellfire and darkness._ **

**_Bi’rech scown ~ Kill him_ **

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next we’ll be the continuation of where we left off, going to mystery coordinates, perhaps some lemony goodness and … and …**

**Chapter Twelve**

**BPOV**

I had ordered the death of my uncle. He was no more because of my decree. Because of my power as empress, my uncle, my father’s brother, no longer had a head. He was being burned and his ashes were going to be thrown away like the trash that he was. I felt guilty.

Was I too harsh and too swift in my judgment?

Should I have given him leniency as I promised to get the decryption codes?

Should I have exiled him?

It was too late now, but I was questioning everything. “Empress, you need to pack your belongings,” Maralice said quietly, breaking my reverie. “You and the emperor are leaving for the coordinates near the Neutral Zone aboard the _Volvo_ within the hour. Is there anything you need?”

“Can you prepare Charanel to come with us?” I asked. “I need him with me. I don’t trust anyone on the surface except Counselor Marcusi. He has to maintain the order of the government while I’m gone. Charanel would enjoy a trip on the _Volvo_. He hasn’t been on a spaceship since he was a boy. He definitely hasn’t been on a vessel as lavish as the _Volvo_. Pack his things and prepare him to depart as soon as he’s ready.”

“I’ll make the arrangements, Empress,” Maralice said, getting out of the hover car and darting to get Charanel ready to leave.

Edward squeezed my fingers, looking at his own envoy. “D’Metri, I need you to contact me if anything happens here,” Edward said to his envoy. “I don’t know if anyone is going to try anything, but I’d rather err on the side of caution. Additionally, I need you to keep digging through Norex’s personal communication as well as the communication of the nobles who have fled Forx. We need to find out who is making these decisions about overthrowing the government.”

“Of course, Emperor,” D’Metri said quietly, his voice deep and solemn. He slid out of the hover car, walking to his own office in the Imperial Palace, his fingers flying over his tablet as he worked on the assignment that Edward gave him.

Looking at me, Edward brushed my hair from my neck. “Come, _Fíorghrá,_ ” Edward whispered. “I need to change and we have to transport up to the _Volvo_.” He cupped my cheek, encouraging me to look at him. He frowned slightly. “Are you okay? I mean, truly.” _Your mind is replaying Norex’s execution over and over again._

“I never thought I’d have to end a life,” I murmured, leaning into his warm, calloused hand. “It’s one thing to read casualty reports from the frontlines, but clearly another when you see it happen first hand.” _I didn’t expect it to be so gruesome, either._ Edward snorted humorlessly. I kissed his palm, getting out of the hover car. It smoothly glided away and we walked into the Imperial Palace, going to our suite so Edward could change and I could pack a bag.

“Why was Norex so upset about not getting the _H’aaruune_ rite?” Edward asked as he removed his clothing, changing into his usual black uniform. “I know it’s a funeral prayer, but he seemed hysterical at the prospect of not receiving it. My family was raised as Catholics and we believe in heaven if we live a sin-free life, confessing our sins if we do commit. Hell, according to my religion, I’m already going to hell since I’ve gotten divorced and engaged in pre-marital sex. The thought does not scare me. Norex, though, was panicked, terrified!”

“No one knows what happens when we die. The _H’aaruune Ne’irite_ gives us solace that we will be with our loved ones again in the afterlife. Who knows if it’s true, but I knew that Norex’s greatest fear was to be damned for all eternity. He had been on the front one time and saw what it was like. He was convinced that our version of hell was that. Darkness, agony, pain and torment. I feel badly, playing on his fears, but what he did …” I trailed off, my anger washing over me. I shook my head, trying to not focus my thoughts on Norex’s death.

“You have every right to be angry. I’m fucking pissed,” he spat. “He got off too easy with the beheading, but it was the most humane way to end his life, short of giving him a lethal injection of medications.” He enfolded me in his arms. His chest was bare. Inhaling his clean, masculine scent, I ran my fingers through the soft, downy hair on his chest and listened to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. I sighed contentedly, allowing my _ti’ane_ to soothe me. I needed it. It had been a long day and the sun had barely risen. He tightened his hold on me. I hummed in appreciation. Edward tilted my head back, kissing my lips sweetly. “I love you, Bella. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

“ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” I whispered. “I am grateful that we are leaving the planet. Being here is just too tough. How long is the journey to this planetoid?”

“Less than the trip to Lapus,” Edward answered. “Four days at maximum jump speed. The _Enterprise_ is coming with us and for that I’m grateful. They have more fire power than we do. I don’t know if these coordinates are in the middle of a hostile environment or if Norex is sending us directly into trap. I don’t trust him, even in death. I’d rather be armed to the teeth.”

“You will get us there safely, Captain,” I said, kissing his jaw, moving my lips up to his mouth. I was about to kiss him when his communicator chirped on the bed.

He groaned, pulling himself away and tapping the communicator. “Cullen here,” he said, his eyes hungry as he stared at me.

“Captain, we received notice that Prince Charanel is coming with Maralice and Empress Nirabelle,” said Lt. Commander Anderson. “Do we need separate quarters for him? If we do, we’ll have to rearrange …”

“No, Commander,” I answered. “He will be fine staying with Maralice. I know that guest quarters are at a premium.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Anderson replied. “We will arrange for another bed to be delivered to Envoy Maralice’s quarters.”

“Thank you, Garrett,” Edward said. “That would be greatly appreciated. The empress and I should be transporting to the _Volvo_ soon. We’ll be in touch.”

“Understood, sir. Anderson out.”

Edward tossed the communicator on the bed and slipped on his shirt. He tucked it into his pants before putting on his jacket and affixing his communicator on the left side. He looked up and saw me just staring at him. He chuckled, walking toward me, stalking me. Once he got close enough, his arms banded around my waist and he held me close to his hard body. “You’re looking at me like a _Nari_ cake.”

“No, more like a steak,” I said, running my hands up his chest before finding his silky hair. I remembered his fascination with steak. “I should be more rattled, but I can’t stop thinking about you. Perhaps, because you supported me when I needed it. I know that I may get some backlash over executing Norex, but the people needed to know that I was not about to let a traitor get away with what he did.”

“I will always support you, Nirabelle,” he murmured. “Both you and Charanel. I promise you.” He kissed me deeply, finishing what I started before his communicator interrupted us. His lips were soft and moving ardently against me. I moaned, tugging on his soft hair and wanting to feel him desperately. I was upset about my uncle, but the feeling of my _ti’ane_ put my soul at ease. I wanted to climb up his body, clinging to his muscular form like an _arshi_. With a grunt, he pried my hands away, giving me a heated, carnal stare. “You are…” he trailed off, distancing himself from me. “Bella, I love you and I want to make you feel better, but we have to finish packing before we transport up to the _Volvo_. I do _not_ want to freak out my transporter chief with this.” He pointed to his arousal, tenting his tight black pants.

“Sorry,” I said, not meaning it all. I glided past him, smacking his behind.

“No, you’re not,” he laughed, arching a sexy brow at me.

“You’re right. I’m not,” I said, going into the closet and packing two weeks’ worth of clothing. Carrying my bag out of the closet, I picked out some simple jewelry, putting it into a small pouch inside of my bag. I also changed out of my white clothes of mourning and into a comfortable light blue dress with a pair of grey leggings underneath. Edward helped me with my bag and we met up with Maralice, Charanel and Admiral Cullen.

“Is Mom coming?” Edward asked.

“She’s staying back and analyzing the data from the stealth ships that was recovered from the Alphan Archives,” Admiral Cullen explained. “We have to translate it before we can make heads or tails of it, really. We also got some new scans which the science team on the _Intrepid_ is going to analyze.”

“Did you get all of the data from the Alphan Archives?” I questioned.

“We had to make several passes, but we did, Empress,” Admiral Cullen smiled.

“That’s good news. Hopefully, there is definitive proof that the Alphans made first contact,” I breathed. “And how they did it.”

“By the time we return, the analysis should be complete,” Admiral Cullen said. “I’m curious as to how they got here. If they didn’t have jump technology, the journey would have taken over a hundred years.” He shrugged, shifting his bag ono his shoulder. I nodded, threading my fingers with Edward’s.

“Riley to Cullen,” chirped Edward’s communicator. “Sir, we’re prepared to transport you aboard. Are you ready to beam up?”

“Yes, Lieutenant,” Edward answered. “Five to beam up.”

“Energizing.” The tingle of the transporter began in my stomach and the Imperial throne room disappeared and the sleek transporter room appeared. An ensign was standing at the controls. He immediately stood at attention, barking that there was an admiral on deck. Edward’s father asked him to stand at ease before leaving the transporter room.

“Ensign, can you please escort Envoy Maralice and Prince Charanel to their quarters?” Edward asked, smiling warmly.

“I want to go again!” Charanel said excitedly, bouncing on the transporter pad. “That was fun!”

“Perhaps later, Charanel,” Maralice whispered, guiding Charanel off the transporter pad. “There is something aboard this ship that will make the transporter look like child’s play. The holodeck is an amazing invention that will entertain you for hours.” Charanel’s eyes lit up as he left the transporter room, following the ensign. Edward blew out a breath, guiding me to our quarters.

“I’m going to go to the bridge, Bella,” Edward said as he put his clothes into the closet. “We need to be careful in plotting our course to the Alphan outpost. Do you want to rest? We were up very early this morning.”

“I think I’m going to check on Maralice and Charanel, perhaps play with them in the holodeck. I saw a story that would appeal to my brother. Something called _The Adventures of Flotter_.”

“That was one of my favorite holoprograms when I was growing up,” Edward chuckled. “Charanel will love it and it might help him get over his fear of water. It helped me.”

“You were afraid of the water?” I asked.

“Not so much afraid, but uncomfortable,” Edward replied, his nose wrinkled. “I preferred zero gravity to being under the water. Nothing around me as opposed to the pressure of water as you went further down. It was an irrational fear. I got over it relatively quickly and Flotter helped me. Granted, I was seven.”

“Charanel has the mentality of a child. It may work,” I shrugged. I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ ”

 **“** _Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari,_ ” he replied, kissing me so sweetly. “I’m just a mental ping away if you need me, _Fíorghrá._ ” He kissed me once more before leaving me in the bedroom of our quarters. I quickly unpacked my own belongings before affixing my communicator to my belt and walking to Maralice and Charanel’s rooms. I rang the chime. Maralice answered it, a scowl on her face.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Fine,” she said, shaking her head and giving me a grin. “Charanel wants to take another trip on the transporter and he’s having a bit of a tantrum.”

“Where is he?” I frowned.

“Curled up in a ball in his room,” she replied. “He doesn’t believe me that the holodeck is better. I think that, if it’s possible, we should integrate it into our systems in the palace. It would enhance Charanel’s education. Perhaps help him grow more, mentally?”

“Rose said that she could attempt to correct the damage to Charanel’s mind, but it might take him away,” I sighed, listening to the wailing of my brother. “His sweet personality might disappear if we go through with the procedure. Charanel might be developmentally delayed, but his heart is so good.”

“But, what happens if something should happen to you? Or Edward? Charanel would the Emperor and he would not be able to make any decisions,” Maralice said, taking my hand in hers. “We’d be vulnerable, even with the protection of the Federation, Nirabelle.” Squeezing my fingers, she looked into my eyes. “Discuss it at length with Rose. See what the side effects are. If there is a way to help Charanel, we have to try.”

“I’ll discuss it with her tomorrow. Let me try and calm Charanel down. He may just be tired from begin up so early. He never was an early riser,” I said, walking to his room. Pressing the button, I glided inside and sat down on the bed. Charanel was sobbing hysterically, his hands clutched in tight fists on his tunic. My brother, for the most part, was easy-going and happy. But, when he had these melt-downs, it was next to impossible to get him to see reason. The only thing that got him to calm down was either sleep or candy. I knew that Norex drugged my brother when he had these tantrums. I typically went the candy route. He loved _miranne_ flavored lollipops. I didn’t have any candy with me. I prayed he would listen to me. “Charanel?”

“I want to go on the transporter again,” he snapped, his blue eyes blazing with anger and betrayal. “Maralice said we would!”

“Charanel, you’ll get to ride the transporter again, but it’s not a toy,” I said, sitting down next to him. He scowled at me. I spoke to him in Cygnarian, trying to reason with him. He wouldn’t listen to it, growling at me. His eyes were drooping and I knew that this argument was not the transporter, but about his exhaustion. I stopped arguing and let Charanel wear himself out, falling asleep with his head on my shoulder. Eventually, I guided his head to my lap and I dozed off as well, my head resting on the chair near where Charanel had sat on the floor.

Maralice eventually came into the room and encouraged me to get up. With her help, I moved and we helped Charanel into the bed. As I tucked him in, the engines roared to life and we were at jump speed, flying to the Alphan outpost. Maralice encouraged me to go back to my quarters to get some sleep. Despite the uncomfortable position with Charanel resting on my lap, I had slept hard. I didn’t argue and went back to Edward’s quarters, setting the alarm for a three cycle nap. I’d go speak to Rose once I woke up, perhaps invite her for lunch.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

I was apparently more exhausted than I anticipated. When I woke up, Edward was in bed with me, his tall body curled around mine. I pressed a button on the nightstand. It displayed the time and it was nearly dawn. I had slept the entire day away. I wriggled out of Edward’s arms, padding to the bathroom. I washed my face before going to take a sonic shower. Once I clean, I braided my hair, allowing it to flow over my shoulders and changed into a fresh tunic. As I walked back into the room, Edward was sitting up, rubbing his face. “I checked on you after I had plotted a course and you were dead to the world,” he said, his voice deep and raspy.

“I was more exhausted than I anticipated,” I said, crawling back into the bed and curling up on his chest. “And Charanel had a tantrum about not being able to use the transporter. I told him it wasn’t a toy, but he was inconsolable. He eventually fell asleep and so did I, leaning against the wall.”

“When I walked in, the alarm was going off. You wouldn’t budge,” Edward snickered, wrapping his strong arms around me. I traced his tattoo. _I turned off the alarm and let you sleep. You needed it,_ Fíorghrá.

“Thank you for letting me sleep. However, you look like you need more,” I whispered, looking up at his drawn face. “I can go to the mess hall and get something to eat, letting you sleep some more.”

“I’m fine, Bella,” he said, kissing my nose. “Let me take a sonic shower and then I’ll join you. I have a light day today. I can join you and Charanel in the holodeck. I can enjoy some time with Flotter!”

“Charanel will like that,” I breathed. “So would I.” Briefly, my mind thought of what Maralice said and what Rose had suggested about the surgery she wanted to perform on Charanel to possibly correct his developmental delay.

“Rose is an amazing doctor, Bella,” Edward said quietly. “We can meet up with her after our morning with Flotter.”

“You sound more excited about this holoprogram than Charanel,” I giggled, nipping at his neck. “Go take your sonic shower. I want to sample some human cuisine for breakfast.”

“I know the exactly what you’d enjoy, Bella,” he said, getting up from the bed and walking to the bathroom. “Stuffed French Toast with strawberries and sausage. It was my favorite growing up. Perhaps Charanel would like to join us?”

“Unlikely,” I said. “He’s not a morning person, though being in space may cause his sleep schedule to change.”

“It could go one of two ways. Either, he could be extremely hyper all of the time or very lethargic. When you do an extended stint in space, it affects you. When I was an ensign, just fresh out of the academy, I went on a scouting mission on the _Bradbury_. The mission lasted two months. Each day, I dragged my ass through my shifts because not having the sun on my face affected me in a way that I never expected. My commanding officer, Commander Miko, suggested that I use the holodeck to alleviate the feeling of lethargy. It was then that I wrote the program I use to run each morning. It’s a recreation of an Earth city, Chicago, from the early twenty-first century. It was where my family was originally from.”

“Perhaps after we eat breakfast, you can show me that program before we get Charanel?” I suggested. “You can give me a holotour of your hometown. You’ve seen the palace and my childhood home. I think it’s only fair that I see where you’re from.”

“I’ll do you one better. We’ll have a breakfast picnic on the lakefront,” he said, smiling boyishly. He crawled back on the bed, kissing me deeply before darting into the bathroom to take his sonic shower. When he was done, he dressed in his uniform, leading me to the holodeck. He pressed a few buttons and led me inside. The doors hissed shut, immediately disappearing behind the holoemitters. The air was warm and the sun was shining brightly. We were on a beach, overlooking a blue lake. Behind us, there was an impressive city skyline. A few paces to the left, there was a red-checked blanket and a basket. “Welcome to Chicago, Empress,” Edward murmured, guiding me to the blanket. He helped me to sit and he joined me, opening the basket to reveal the breakfast he had described.

“What is all this?” I asked as I looked at the array of foods he pulled out.

“French Toast, which is bread dipped in a sweetened batter of eggs, milk and sugar. Inside, there is some cream cheese. Usually, humans like to cover it with something called maple syrup.” He took out a glass container filled with a dark liquid. Opening it up, he dipped his index finger inside, holding it out for me. Leaning forward, I tasted the sweet liquid, moaning at its flavor. “Good, hmmmm?”

“Delicious,” I beamed. _I wonder what that would taste like on your skin?_

“Nirabelle,” Edward growled, staring at me hungrily. “You haven’t eaten since dinner two days ago. We’ll have time for that later. All throughout the night, your stomach was growling angrily.” _And it would be you who would be covered in the syrup. It would only enhance your sweetness,_ Fíorghrá. “Computer lock holodeck doors. No unauthorized access. Confirm command, Cullen Delta Six Tango.”

“Command confirmed, Captain,” the computer replied.

The doors locked and Edward turned back to me. His eyes were dark with lust and desire. “Next, in our basket of goodies, are strawberries and whipped cream,” he purred, taking out a plastic container filled with tiny red fruits with seeds all around them. The whipped cream was white, in a matching container. He opened them both, dipping the fruit into the cream, bringing it up to my lips. I bit down on the strawberry. Some of the juice leaked down my chin. Edward growled lowly, leaning forward and kissing me deeply, effectively cleaning my face. I moaned and my arousal ached from within. “Hmmm, that might be more appetizing than the syrup.”

“This may be a very messy meal, _ti’ane_ ,” I whispered.

“Indeed,” he growled, making my insides quiver. “Next and last part of our meal is pork sausage. It’s not sweet, but savory. It makes up for all of this sugary goodness.” He plucked a small piece of brown meat, handing it to me. I bit down daintily, not really liking the greasiness of the meat or the flavor the spices. “You don’t care for it?”

“Not really,” I answered, spitting out the sausage into a napkin.

“Computer, please replicate six slices of bacon,” Edward commanded. To his right, a plate appeared with six strips of this bacon. It reminded me of _baraxxes_ strips. Edward handed me one and I tasted it, liking it immediately. “All yours, love. I’m not a fan. I’ll just munch on the sausage.” The final two things he pulled out of the basket was a plastic container filled with an orange liquid and another metal flask. “What is a good breakfast without something to drink? This is orange juice and the nectar of the gods, coffee.”

“Is all human food this decadent?” I asked.

“Not usually. I figured since you’re experiencing human cuisine for the first time that I’d make it a special occasion,” he said, making a plate for me. “You deserve the best, Bella. All of this is better when it’s prepared by hand, but you’ll get the idea from the replicated versions.”

“Do you know how to cook?” I asked, tucking into my meal.

“I do. The basics, at least. My mom was insistent that I knew my way around a kitchen. Not every culture has replicator technology. We’re lucky we do, but it’s somewhat stress-relieving to cook a meal,” he shrugged. “Every so often, I’ll go down to the mess hall to make a meal for the senior staff. They enjoy it and I like to make their family favorites. The last meal we had was at the end of our most recent mission. Jasper wanted blackened catfish with Cajun remoulade and grits and okra. For dessert, we had sweet potato pie. His family is from the southern part of this continent. They are known for their spicy foods and unique recipes that combine all different cultures.”

“What was the most challenging meal you’ve had to make?” I asked.

“A Solarian dish. Emmett, Lieutenant Morgainne, wanted some meat pie from his home world. I couldn’t get it to cook properly and he had to help me. Some of the meats were cooking too quickly and others were still raw. It turned out that it was an issue with the stove I was using. Emmett recalibrated it and the dish turned out quite well, though I was not a fan. It tasted too much like blood pudding. That’s an English delicacy using congealed blood.”

“Oh,” I said, making a face.

“Exactly,” he shuddered, cutting up his French toast and dipping it into the syrup. “Now, before we have some fun with this food, let’s talk about what you were thinking about with Charanel.”

“Maralice made me think about a few things,” I said, dipping a strawberry into the whipped cream. I nibbled on it. “What happens if both of us are hurt or killed, Edward? The next person in line for the throne, if we do not have children, is my brother. He would not know what to do if he were placed in that position. We never explored treating his delay on Forx because we did not have the means to do it. With Rose, she said that she could correct the problem, but Charanel’s personality might change. I don’t want that to happen. Is that being selfish?”

“Not wanting to lose the essence of your brother? No, that’s not selfish. But, not allowing him to realize his full potential and putting Forx in possible danger because of his delay; that could pose a problem, Bella. I think that it might be beneficial to have Rose to a full examination while he’s aboard. I know she did some scans on the surface, but a medical tricorder is not as in-depth as the diagnostic equipment we have in sick bay or our science lab. And I have no doubt that Rose is trying to figure out a way to perform the procedure and keep Charanel, his sweet and loving demeanor intact, but giving him the intelligence he deserves.”

 _We’ll give him today to be Charanel, but tomorrow, I want him to meet with Rose. I think it would be the most prudent action. With everything that is happening, Norex’s death, a possible coup and our admittance into the Federation, I want my brother to be prepared for all of these changes. We may not survive this, this_ thing _with the Alphans. I do not want my people to suffer because of my selfishness,_ I thought, pushing my food away.

“You are not selfish,” Edward said, pulling me over to him and straddling me on his lap. His hands cupped my face and his fingers traced my spots. I whimpered, my eyes fluttering shut. Edward’s lips moved to the curve of my neck, licking my skin and igniting my body in flames. My fingers tangled into his soft, silky hair. I just melted against him, my head falling back to allow him easier access to my neck. _I need you, Bella_.

“Yes,” I whispered, unzipping his jacket and pushing it off his shoulders. His fingers moved from my face and they found the hem of my tunic, pulling it up over my head. Once my tunic was tossed onto the blanket, Edward’s hands cupped my breasts, nibbling and licking at the pebbled flesh. My head fell back and I lost myself in what he was doing. My hips were rolling along his hardness. He growled lowly before moving his mouth back to mine and pressing me into the blanket. He tore his shirt from his body, his mouth plundering mine.

His hand reached over to the plastic container that held the whipped cream and he swirled it on my breast. I squeaked, shocked at how cold it was. Edward, his eyes black with desire, moved down my body and slowly licked the cream from my skin. His wet tongue and the cold the cream caused my nipple to stand at attention, yearning for his mouth. “So sweet,” he growled before biting down on my breast. I gasped, my head falling back onto the warm ground. He repeated the action with my other breast. His hands were gently twisting and pinching my nipples as he devoured the cream, tasting every inch of my skin.

He kissed down my torso, tugging down my leggings and spreading my legs to display my leaking center. His eyes were trained on my sex. He let out the most delicious combination of a growl and a whimper. He picked up the syrup and dribbled it just above my core. I bit my lip, my arousal growing exponentially with each passing moment. Edward settled between my legs, his tongue ran along the length of slit. His mind exploded at the combination of flavors, my arousal and the sweetness of the syrup. He kissed between my legs, tasting every inch of me and I _loved_ it. Waves of pleasure crashed over me.

“That’s it, baby,” Edward crooned as he slid two fingers inside me. “Don’t stop coming for me.”

 _Edward,_ I whimpered mentally, not trusting my voice. _More!_ My hands flew to his hair and I could not stop rolling my hips, needing more friction. He continued flicking his tongue on my sex and thrusting his fingers inside. I could feel the stickiness of the syrup and it added to what he was doing. “ _Shtacknec!_ ” I yelled as my orgasm built, flying through me.  Edward kept his mouth on me as I shattered from his expert touch. When I calmed, he languidly ran his tongue along every inch of my sex before crawling up my body. His face was glistening in the sunlight and he was smirking. “You look like the _ratte_ who got the cream,” I giggled.

“What’s a _ratte?_ ” he asked.

“It’s a smaller version of a _firatte,_ but easily domesticated and used as pets,” I said, pulling him down to me.

“Oh, like a cat,” he replied, his lips tracing my jaw. “And yes, I did get a lot of cream. And syrup. And you.” I let out an anxious titter. He thrust his hips and I could feel his hardness through his pants. “And I’m not done with you, my _Fíorghrá._ ”

“Nor am I done with you,” I said, pushing him onto his back and making quick work of his pants, pulling them down his muscular legs. His arousal smacked his stomach and I grinned eagerly at the fun I wanted to have with him.

“Bella, I’m about to explode. I can hear what you want to do. An Edward sundae is something we’re going to have to try later because I really want to be _inside_ of you when I come,” he choked out. He sat up and pulled me over his straining erection. I could see the pearl of his arousal seeping from the tip. “Let me love you, _Fíorghrá.”_

I kissed him, tasting the sweetness of the syrup. With a twist of his body, I was pressed onto the grass. He fell into the cradle of my thighs. His hardness was trapped between us. His lips were soft but possessive, claiming me. I rocked against him. He pulled back, staring into my eyes. The sun made him look like a _glisch_ , protecting me and my family. His eyes were so very green and radiating with love and loyalty. Slowly, he pushed into me, filling me to the hilt. “Edward…” I gasped, my nails scraping down his back.

“I know, love,” Edward murmured, his lips trailing down my neck as he sinuously moved in and out. I could feel every centimeter of his length. My heart was exploding with the love I felt for him. His soul cried out for mine and together, we made the sweetest love. It was only when we were together like this that I felt truly loved, cherished and protected. Edward was my _ti’ane,_ my _t_ _e’atée._ I hooked my legs higher up around his waist, angling my hips so he could plunge deeper. And he did. There was no part of our skin that wasn’t touching. Edward was kissing me with such fervor that I thought my heart was going to explode out of my chest. _Nirabelle, I’m going to come. Baby … please, say that you’re with me._

“I am,” I chanted, rocking my hips with his. He planted his hands on either side of my head. His hips moved faster and delved deeper, slamming into me. I grunted with each thrust, my arousal spilling out of me and onto Edward’s erection. I was sticky from the syrup and so hot, but I loved every moment of our coupling. “Edward!!” I yelled, my legs dropping on either side of him as my release pulsating through me like a thunderbolt. He grunted and I felt his release fill me, throbbing inside my quaking core. He kept thrusting, his lips grazing over my spots. I shuddered as he kissed just below my ear. He slipped out, collapsing on top of me and breathing heavily. He nuzzled my neck with his nose before rolling off me, taking me with him and curling me to his side.

“I don’t know about you, but I needed that,” he chuckled, his fingers dancing along my spine.

“I always need you,” I said, pressing a kiss to his chest. “I don’t know how I could have survived this without you, _ti’ane_.”

“Me neither,” he whispered. He cupped my chin, his eyes twinkling with his devoted love. “I’m glad I came on this mission. I’m so happy that I have you. I can’t wait until all of this is behind us and we can properly enjoy our mating. I want to show you the galaxy, _Fíorghrá.”_

“I can’t wait,” I smiled, leaning up to kiss him sweetly. “Now, I need another sonic shower to clean all of this off.”

“Computer,” Edward chuckled. “Please run holodeck program Cullen Forx One.” The location changed and we were engulfed in water in a computer generated version of my bathroom. “Problem solved.” I giggled, wrapping my legs around him and we soon lost ourselves again, coming together slowly, sensually and lovingly.

An hour and half later, Edward and I went back to our quarters to change our clothes. My tunic had been ruined by the strawberries and whipped cream. Edward’s pants were covered with evidence of my arousal. He loved it but he knew that it wasn’t appropriate to wear them. After he changed, he was called to the bridge to discuss something with Lieutenant Commander Anderson and Admiral Cullen. Edward kissed me briefly, whispering his love for me before he darted out of the room. He said he’d meet me with Charanel in the other holodeck to enjoy _The Adventures of Flotter_ with us.

Charanel and I shared some lunch. Maralice encouraged us to try another Earth delicacy, grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup. It was a favorite ‘comfort food’ of Jasper’s. Maralice’s spots glowed when she described it and she ducked away quickly, leaving me to eat with my brother. Charanel loved the sandwiches but didn’t care for the soup. He ate ten sandwiches while I daintily picked at one. When we were finished, I pinged – as he called it – Edward, letting him know that we were going to the holodeck.

“Where are we going, Nirabelle?” Charanel asked, his hand grasped in mine. He was confused. All of the hallways looked the same to him.

“We’re going to the holodeck, Charanel. It makes stories come to life,” I smiled. _And fantasies, too. I think that Chicago program may be my favorite one. Ever._

 _It’s mine now,_ Fíorghrá. _And I can’t wait to be your personal sundae later,_ Edward purred mentally. I bit my lip, trying to keep my lusty thoughts at bay. Today was all about Charanel and giving him a day of fun before he was going to be poked, prodded and tested. If it were feasible, Charanel would undergo brain surgery and his delay would be eradicated.

“Is it like the transporter?” he asked.

“Better, _fei’rene,_ ” Edward replied. He opened the door, guiding us into the empty holodeck. Charanel scowled slightly. He was not believing it. The holodeck wasn’t nearly as amazing when it wasn’t running. The silver bulkheads shimmered under the lights and the pneumatic door hissed shut. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“No,” Charanel huffed.

“Computer, please run _The Adventures of Flotter_ , Flotter and the Tree Monster,” Edward commanded. The holodeck changed to a brightly colored forest, complete with a blue man with fish scales all over his body. He was leaning against a fallen tree trunk, making his hands drip. Flotter blinked up and smiled at my mate.

“Little Edward Cullen! You’ve grown up!” Flotter said, his voice sounding like bubbles. “I remember when you were as tall as my scales!”

“I did grow up, Flotter, but I have a new friend for you. Flotter, meet my brother, Charanel,” Edward said, gesturing to my brother who was hiding behind Edward.

“Charanel, I don’t bite. I drip, but not bite,” Flotter chortled.

“I’m afraid of water,” Charanel said, his voice tiny but he watched the scaly man with rapt attention.

“It’s a good thing I’m not _completely_ water,” Flotter said, putting his hands on his hips. A low rumble traveled through the program. “What’s that? A monster? Charanel, you’re big and strong. Can you help me?”

Charanel looked at Edward, his spots deepening and his eyes filled with curiosity and fear. “Go on, Charanel. Flotter is a good friend and he’ll take care of you.”

“But the monster?” Charanel mumbled.

“It’s not really a monster, Charanel,” Flotter hissed conspiratorially. “It’s my best friend, Treevis! Come on! Let’s go meet him!” Flotter took Charanel’s hand and led him away from us.

“Will he be alright?” I asked.

“Yeah. This program is good for honing deductive reasoning,” Edward replied.

“How can a computer program remember you?” I asked.

“It’s my program. I played it when I was a boy. Flotter, or at least this incarnation of him, would recognize me since he’s my Flotter,” Edward snickered. “Come on. We can go and talk with Rose. The computer will let me know when the program is nearly over. Flotter will keep Charanel occupied.”

“What if he gets scared?” I whispered. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving him here. Why don’t I call Maralice?” Edward nodded and I asked her to join us in the holodeck. I told her to stay close to Charanel as we went to talk to Rose about Charanel’s treatment. We left my brother in her capable hands, going to sickbay. Rose explained what she wanted to do and how she fine-tuned her treatment. With the medical equipment on the _Volvo_ , my brother’s brain would be tinkered with, refined and fixed, without losing his personality. It would take time, but within a year, Charanel would be as smart as anyone else, without any sort of developmental delay.

Rose tried to put me at ease, but the thought of putting my brother under the knife made me nervous. The results, if successful, would be in the best interest of my people and for Charanel. It didn’t seem fair for him to remain in the mind of a child when there was something that could make him better. The risks, though, made me nervous. If something should happen, Charanel could have more brain damage and perhaps live the rest of his life in a persistent vegetative state OR he could die. I’d lost my mother when he was born. My father just died less than seven months ago and I ordered my uncle’s death not more than a day ago.

After our meeting with Rose, we met up with Charanel back at his quarters with Maralice. We brought him back to our quarters. I wanted my brother close tonight. He was chattering on and on about his adventures with Flotter. As I listened, Edward disappeared for a moment and he came back with a stuffed toy that looked like the scaly man. He handed him to my brother, who held him excitedly. Charanel asked if we could go to the holodeck again tomorrow to do another adventure. We had time in the morning before he had to go to sickbay for the tests.

The next day, we all played with Flotter, losing ourselves in Flotter’s perfect day. Charanel’s hunger made us leave and we ate some lunch before going to sickbay. Charanel was sad that we couldn’t play with Flotter, but Rose wanted to run her tests. She pushed both me and Edward out of sickbay, stating that we would cause Charanel to be anxious. Our nerves were held on the cuff and Rose would project them. Grumbling, we went up to the bridge to check on our journey. We had to take a detour and would arrive in two days. There was a gaseous nebula that would cause damage to the _Volvo_ and the _Enterprise_. They had to go around it, adding an extra day to our journey.

We spent the rest of the afternoon on the bridge. I was seated to the right of Edward, watching as he commanded his ship. His quiet confidence made me fall in love with him all over again. He was unsure when he stepped into the role of emperor, but on this bridge, Edward knew what he was doing and he didn’t second guess anything. Just as the second shift was taking over on the bridge, Rose contacted us and asked us to join her in the science lab. Edward left the bridge in Lieutenant Commander Anderson’s command and we went to check on my brother.

Charanel was sleeping in the surgical bay. I was ready to scream, unhappy that Rose had performed the procedure without my consent. “Relax, Nirabelle,” she said, holding up her hands. She guided us into the science lab and gave me a stern look. “He’s sedated. While I was working with him, he complained of a headache. I gave him a pain killer but it reacted with his Cygnarian physiology. I had to sedate him while I removed the pain killer. He’ll be fine and now I know that I can’t ever give him ibuprofen.”

“He’s fine, though?” Edward asked since I was still trying calm down.

“He’s fine. And he will be fine after I finish the procedure,” Rose said, pressing a few buttons. She explained his delay and what she was going to do to correct. Essentially, she was going to give his brain a mild jolt, encouraging the damaged synapses to fire. In addition to that, she was going to inject him with a medication to encourage brain growth and maturity. His brain was truly that of a child. Even with the best tutors and education at our disposal, his mind didn’t really grow or mature. “We can do the procedure tomorrow. He’ll remain in a medically induced coma until all of the synapses have connected, which should be a day, and then we’ll wake him up,” Rose explained. “He’ll be confused and disoriented, but his mind will be fully functional.”

“Should we do it now? Or wait?” I asked, my mind trying to make heads or tails of this. “I think that Charanel should have a say in this, Edward.”

“I agree,” Edward replied. “Can you wake him?”

“Sure,” Rose said, leading us back to the surgical bay. She pressed a hypospray to my brother’s neck and his eyes fluttered open. “Charanel, wake up, sweetie. Your sister is here.”

“Nirabelle,” he breathed, looking over to me. He smiled drunkenly, reaching for my hand. “My head hurts.”

“I know, Charanel,” I said, rubbing his forehead and brushing his light brown hair away from his eyes. He hummed, leaning into my hand. “ _Fei’rene,_ there is something we need to talk about. Rose thinks she can make you better. Make you smarter.”

“Really?” he asked, looking over at Rosalie. “How?”

“I inject you with some medicine and perform surgery on your brain,” she said, explaining it to him simply.

“My brain? Will I be awake?” he asked, his fear spiking.

“No, Charanel. You’d be asleep. When you woke up, you’d be as smart as your sister. Maybe, smarter,” Rose snickered, poking my brother’s shoulder softly. “But, do you want that?”

“Be smart? Like Nirabelle? Like Father? Like Ed?” he questioned, sitting up. He picked up the stuffed Flotter toy, holding it to his chest. “I could be smart?”

“You could, Charanel, but we want to make sure that you want us to perform the procedure,” Edward said, putting his hand on my brother’s shoulder.

“I want it,” he said, looking at me and then at Edward. He nodded, his lips smashed into a determined line. “I want it. When?”

“Tomorrow,” Rose said. “The surgery will happen tomorrow.” Charanel nodded. “Tonight, though, I’m going to give you two shots. One is protein injection to promote the brain maturity. The other will encourage the synapses to fire at random, encouraging their growth and connections. Both will make you sleepy.” Charanel moved his chin and Rose used the hypospray to inject both serums into his neck. Helping him off the bed, we walked back to our quarters. We had some dinner and Charanel fell asleep, clutching his Flotter toy. I barely slept, just watching my brother. Edward sat next to me, holding me close. He knew that this decision, even if it was Charanel’s, was not an easy one for me to take.

Early the next morning, Rose had Charanel transported to the surgical bay. She had to give him another round of drugs before she performed the procedure. She would be done by the afternoon. I could be with him just before dinner. The following day, we would be at the Alphan outpost, which we learned had a name, _M’ay’aki_. It was an Alphan word for hiding place. It seemed appropriate, really. The cowards from my world were hiding there, along with the other animals from Lapus. We also learned that it was heavily fortified, protected by shielding, disruptor cannons, photon torpedoes and phasers. This was information that was discovered from the stealth ships as they made their passes over Lapus.

I was terrified for my brother and terrified as to what was waiting for us on _M’ay’aki._

Edward kept me occupied with information that had been transmitted to the _Volvo_ from Forx. I was reading as much as I could about the missing nobles, _M’ay’aki_ and the persons of interest that Maralice had begun to investigate. Not that I was paying attention to what I was reading, but it kept my mind occupied.

After lunch, we met and discussed a plan of attack once we reached _M’ay’aki_ with the senior staff of the _Volvo_ and with the senior staff of the _Enterprise_ , via the comm. Edward wanted to go on the away mission, but Admiral Cullen and Captain Picard didn’t feel like it was necessary. Edward was no longer just a captain of a Galaxy Fleet vessel. He was the Emperor of Forx. I was adamantly against, too. I wanted to confront these traitors. I had trained with my mate and I was not ready to hide aboard this vessel while the others fought my battles for me.

We decided, after a long, drawn-out argument, that both Edward and I would go down to the surface, but in disguise. I would wear a Galaxy Fleet uniform and Edward would wear civilian clothing. It would also allow us to carry weaponry. I would get a phaser rifle, a hunting knife and another phaser strapped to my hip. Edward would have significantly more, hidden in his civilian gear. Edward’s father was not happy and Maralice wanted to skin my hide. The only people who understood were Commander Whitlock and Captain Picard. They backed us and were the ones who suggested we go in disguise.

That wouldn’t help us if they were scanning from orbit. We couldn’t mask our medical signatures, but it gave us the opportunity to try and discuss this with the nobles.

If they were there.

Edward believed that Norex was leading us into a trap. I wanted to believe that Norex did this one last _noble_ thing before he died, but part of me agreed with my mate.

The meeting ended when Rose contacted me on my communicator that Charanel was out of surgery. I didn’t even wait. I bolted out of the conference room, riding the turbolift and sprinting to sickbay. Rose was monitoring his vital signs in the surgical bay. My brother was asleep on the bed, a small bandage at his temple. “How is he?” I asked, sitting down next to him and taking his hand. I noticed that Flotter was now tucked under his arm. I chuckled, looking up at Rose expectantly.

“He’s resting comfortably. The medication is working and his synapses are connecting at an alarming rate. This tracks his brain activity and as you can see, it’s off the charts,” Rose said, pointing to a rapidly changing line.

“But, he’s okay. There’s no brain damage. He won’t be worse than he was?” I whispered, kissing my brother’s knuckles.

“No. If the procedure doesn’t work, he won’t be any worse,” Rose reassured me. “I’ll let you stay with him. If you need me, I’ll be in my office.”

“Thank you,” I said. Rose patted my shoulder, walking away and I sighed, leaning my cheek against Charanel’s arm. I began telling him stories, folk tales of our people. I wanted him to know that he wasn’t alone. I talked until my voice stopped and exhaustion washed over me. When I couldn’t speak, I just touched him and hummed quietly. I did that all night until I eventually drifted off, resting with my face nestled on his hand.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

“ _Fíorghrá,_ wake up, love,” Edward cooed, brushing his fingers down my cheek.

My eyes snapped open and I looked around. I was still in the surgical bay. My brother was asleep and his brain was working a million miles a minute. “What is it?” I asked, my voice weak and sore.

“We’ve arrived at _M’ay’aki_ ,” he said. “We’re getting ready to transport down.” I looked at him and he was wearing a pair of black cargo pants with a gray jacket. His hair was covered with a black cap. I could see the glint of his communicator underneath his jacket. “We need you to change, okay?”

“Perhaps I should stay,” I said, looking at my brother. “I need to help him.”

“Bella, he will remain in a coma until tomorrow,” Rose said, leaning against the bulkhead of the surgical bay. “Maralice will stay with him while you’re on the surface. Now, I’ve got a uniform for you. You’re a commander on this away mission.” I got up and followed Rose into her office. I quickly changed into the black uniform, affixing the communicator to my chest. Rose helped me with my hair, twisting it into an elaborate bun. She put a large hunting knife around my leg, strapping it to my calf. She also attached a phaser to my hip. She looked out into sickbay, pulling out a hypospray. “Do you trust me?” she asked.

“You just helped my brother. Of course, I trust you,” I said, arching a brow.

“Then, let me inject you with a transmitter. I don’t feel comfortable about this mission. I’ve already injected one into Edward but I want to get you, too,” she said. I nodded. She pressed the hypospray to my neck. It hurt a lot, but it was due to the fact that the transmitter was fairly large, about the size of a small pill. “Be safe, Bella. Keep your eyes peeled.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” I asked.

“It’s just a feeling I have, Bella,” she said, her brows furrowed. “I can’t tell you anything if I don’t know what it is I’m feeling. You know?” She wrapped me in her arms and squeezed. I returned her hug, confused as to her sudden swell of affection. She released me, pushing me out into sickbay. Edward was waiting with his father. “Sir,” Rose barked, standing at attention.

“At ease, doctor,” he said. “Edward is just informing me that I’m in command of the _Volvo_ while he’s on the surface.”

“I want to leave the _Volvo_ in good hands. Are you ready, Commander?” Edward asked, giving me a wink. I felt my spots warm at his flirtations. I nodded and we left sickbay. Admiral Cullen was on our heels. Arriving in the transporter room, we met up with Commander Whitlock, Lieutenant Commander Anderson and Lieutenant Riley. The _Enterprise_ was maintaining orbit, not sending down any personnel in case we needed a rescue mission. I stood on the transporter pad, threading my fingers with Edward’s. “Ensign Kaplan, energize.”

We transported down to the marshy, humid and smelly swamp of _M’ay’aki_. It was dusk, with the light quickly fading. Commander Whitlock took out a tricorder, figuring out where we needed to go. “This way,” he said, gesturing through a thick forest. We began our trek and Rose’s warning was not sitting well with me. The outpost, this mission, the coordinates, it seemed wrong.

“Do you read any life signs?” asked Lieutenant Commander Anderson. He was reading his own tricorder.

“It keeps fluctuating,” Commander Whitlock muttered. “You?”

“The same,” Anderson replied.

Edward took the tricorder that was attached to my hip, opening it up and reading the displays. “I don’t like this,” he said, looking around the forest. He pressed a few buttons. “There is a building just over that ridge. It appears that’s where the life signs are coming from.”

“Let’s get this shit done, sir,” Jasper hissed. “I’m with you. I do _not_ like this.”

We continued to walk through the muck and nastiness. The smell of the marsh was making me sick to my stomach. It reminded me of death, rot and decay. We passed through the forest, reaching the building that Edward described. It was well-lit and looked almost knew. He tapped his communicator. “Cullen to Picard. Run a bio scan on these coordinates. I need verification that they life signs are authentic. They’ve been fluctuating since we’ve beamed onto the planet’s surface,” Edward said.

“Understood. Scanning,” Picard said. “According to our scans, there should be twenty Cygnarians, twelve Alphans and seven Remans inside of that building … Wait! Now, it’s fifteen Cygnarians. Hawk! I need you to lock onto their location and beam them out …”

Captain Picard’s voice was cut off and behind us, we heard the distinctive hum of a transporter beam. But, it wasn’t a Federation transporter. In the green glow of the beams, four Alphans and two Remans appeared out of thin air. I went to run away from them, but a Reman grabbed my wrist, pulling me to his chest. Using my training, I managed to wriggle out of the Reman’s hold. I turned and ran right into a growling Alphan, looking at me like I was his next meal. **“** _B’tak!_ ” he snarled. He smacked his arm, muttering in Alphan. I felt the tingle of the transporter in my belly. I screamed, trying to move away but it was too late. When I rematerialized, I was standing face-to-face with Crown Prince Jakob.

“Norex has proven himself. Yet again,” Jakob said, his teeth glinting in the dim lighting of the transporter room. He pressed something to my neck and I collapsed, blackness surrounding me and a heaviness invading my mind.

**A/N: Don’t hate me! Don’t hate me! This was how I wanted to chapter to end! And just to let you know, Bella will not be harmed in any way. You’ll find out why when we get back to her POV (Chapter Fourteen).**

**Now, there are a bunch of pictures that go with this. They are all on my blogs and tumblr (along with citrusy pic teasers from the lemon). You can find the links for them on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on twitter: tufano79.**

**Up next will be Edward’s take on the abduction, how he takes action and Charanel waking up. Leave me some lovin!!!**

_Arshi ~ Cygnarian spider monkey (I couldn’t resist)_

_Shtacknec ~ Cygnarian curse, fuck_

_Glisch ~ Cygnarian angel, protectors of the Cygnarian people_


	13. Chapter 13

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be Edward’s take on the abduction, how he takes action and Charanel waking up.**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**BPOV**

We transported down to the marshy, humid and smelly swamp of _M’ay’aki_. It was dusk, with the light quickly fading. Commander Whitlock took out a tricorder, figuring out where we needed to go. “This way,” he said, gesturing through a thick forest. We began our trek and Rose’s warning was not sitting well with me. The outpost, this mission, the coordinates, it seemed wrong.

“Do you read any life signs?” asked Lieutenant Commander Anderson. He was reading his own tricorder.

“It keeps fluctuating,” Commander Whitlock muttered. “You?”

“The same,” Anderson replied.

Edward took the tricorder that was attached to my hip, opening it up and reading the displays. “I don’t like this,” he said, looking around the forest. He pressed a few buttons. “There is a building just over that ridge. It appears that’s where the life signs are coming from.”

“Let’s get this shit done, sir,” Jasper hissed. “I’m with you. I do _not_ like this.”

We continued to walk through the muck and nastiness. The smell of the marsh was making me sick to my stomach. It reminded me of death, rot and decay. We passed through the forest, reaching the building that Edward described. It was well-lit and looked almost knew. He tapped his communicator. “Cullen to Picard. Run a bio scan on these coordinates. I need verification that they life signs are authentic. They’ve been fluctuating since we’ve beamed onto the planet’s surface,” Edward said.

“Understood. Scanning,” Picard said. “According to our scans, there should be twenty Cygnarians, twelve Alphans and seven Remans inside of that building … Wait! Now, it’s fifteen Cygnarians. Hawk! I need you to lock onto their location and beam them out …”

Captain Picard’s voice was cut off and behind us, we heard the distinctive hum of a transporter beam. But, it wasn’t a Federation transporter. In the green glow of the beams, four Alphans and two Remans appeared out of thin air. I went to run away from them, but a Reman grabbed my wrist, pulling me to his chest. Using my training, I managed to wriggle out of the Reman’s hold. I turned and ran right into a growling Alphan, looking at me like I was his next meal. **“** _B’tak!_ ” he snarled. He smacked his arm, muttering in Alphan. I felt the tingle of the transporter in my belly. I screamed, trying to move away but it was too late. When I rematerialized, I was standing face-to-face with Crown Prince Jakob.

“Norex has proven himself. Yet again,” Jakob said, his teeth glinting in the dim lighting of the transporter room. He pressed something to my neck and I collapsed, blackness surrounding me and a heaviness invading my mind.

**EPOV**

I blinked as I watched my mate get transported off the surface. One of the Alphans growled angrily, swiping at Lieutenant Riley. His insides fell from the wound and he collapsed onto the ground. A Reman engaged me and I fought, every ounce of my body wanted to go in search of my mate. With a harsh blow to my head, I fell heavily onto a trunk. “Cullen to _Volvo!_ Nine to beam up!” I barked, spitting out blood. “Beam the alien signatures into the brig. Lock on to our comm signals.”

“Energizing,” came the voice of Ensign Kaplan. Just as one of Alphans was about to decapitate me, the tingle of the transporter worked its way through our bodies. We arrived in the transporter room. “Sir, what should I do for Lieutenant Riley?”

“Cullen to Halé,” I barked, my heart shattering. “Lieutenant Riley was gravely injured down on the planet’s surface.”

“Transport him to the science lab,” Rose said. I nodded to Ensign Kaplan who beamed Riley off the transporter pad.

Smacking my communicator, I snarled, “Cullen to Bridge. Report!”

“Sir, for less than three seconds, a vessel appeared out of nowhere. Then, it was gone,” said the helmsman on duty, Lieutenant Meade. “There was no gamma radiation. We can’t track it.”

“What kind of vessel?” I sneered. “Alphan or Reman?”

“Reman, sir,” Meade answered.

“Fuck!” I spat, punching the pad for the turbolift. “What the hell is going on? Why are the Remans helping the Alphans? What do they hope to gain? And where the FUCK did they go?”

“Sir, you need to calm down,” Jasper said, wrapping his fingers around my arms.

“I will not fucking calm down. They took Bella,” I said, hyperventilating. “I can only imagine what that _animal_ is doing to her! Norex sent us into a god damned trap! He knew that we’d investigate and he knew that Bella would want to go down to the surface! It was a set up. I want to execute him again, god damn it!”

“Are you done?” Jasper asked dryly.

“NO!” I panted, throwing my hat onto the ground. My heart was empty and I felt so lost. I needed her. “No …”

Jasper stopped the turbolift, asking that Lieutenant Commander Anderson check in with the bridge. He moved so he was in front of me and crossed his arms. “Captain, listen to me,” he said, his voice soft but commanding. “I know that losing Bella is gut-wrenching. You have every right to be fucking pissed off. I don’t blame you in the slightest, sir.” He took my face in his hands, glaring into my eyes. “Use that anger. Edward, I know I give you shit and I suck as a first officer, but you’re best god damned captain in this fleet. You’re even better when you’re focused. Use that anger to focus your attention on getting your mate back. She needs you to be strong.”

He was so close, his lips were centimeters away from me. “Are you going to kiss me, Jasper?” I asked, arching a brow.

“Fuck no! I’ll leave that for Bella,” he snickered. “We also have five prisoners. We can interrogate them and investigate where the nobles are located. Now, pull yourself together.” I huffed out a breath, wriggling out of Jasper’s hold. My head was pounding from the hit to my skull that the Reman gave me. I couldn’t worry about that now. Shaking out the cobwebs, I hit resume on the turbolift and we made it to the bridge.

“Report,” I barked, sitting down on the captain’s chair. “Do you know where the Reman vessel flew off to?”

“No, sir. It appeared for three point seven seconds and the disappeared. We tried to open fire, but it was gone by the time we had phasers locked on it. The _Enterprise_ went in pursuit, but they couldn’t extrapolate a trajectory,” Lieutenant Meade replied. “Once the Reman war vessel left, the false life signs and heavy artillery disappeared. It was all a mirage being projected from the ship.”

“They had to be close by,” I muttered. “Scan nearby planets and moons. See if you can find their jump signature. Also, download any scans you took of the vessel. Send it to my ready room.”

“Understood, sir,” Lieutenant Meade nodded.

I left the bridge, nodding at Jasper and ignoring the rest of my crew. I locked the door, changing into my uniform. There was a chime at the door. “Enter,” I barked, putting my communicator on. My father walked in. I scowled at him, stomping to the replicator. “Computer, ice pack and a cup of coffee, hot.” The replicator whirred to life and I picked up the ice pack, pressing it to my temple and sipping the coffee. “Don’t give me the lecture, _sir_.”

“I wasn’t going to,” Dad said, sitting down on the couch. “Are you okay?”

“I’ll live,” I said, sitting behind my desk. “What happened up here?”

“As soon as you transported down, there was a power drain on both vessels. It affected us more than the _Enterprise_. I think it was due to our proximity to the Reman war vessel,” Dad said. “It used a different power source. Not antimatter. From the preliminary scans, we think that they used thalaron radiation to power their jump drives. According to the Federation, it’s highly experimental and extremely deadly.”

“How did the Remans harness this radiation? Is it anything like omega radiation? Removing the ability to create a stable jump field?” I asked.

“No, it doesn’t affect the fabric of space. It’s deadly to any organic tissues,” Dad explained, handing me a tablet. “We need to proceed with caution, Edward. I know that you want nothing more than to get Nirabelle back into your arms, but this thalaron radiation could wipe out the entire Cygnarian species, along with every other species in the Federation.”

“And let me guess, this thalaron radiation can only be created by mining on Lapus?” I asked. “It is found on Lapus.”

“I think that’s what killed their planet, Edward,” Dad muttered. “It’s also found on Remus and on Cygnaria Prime.”

“But not Forx,” I said, looking down at the tablet. “This radiation and the ore used to create it is not on Forx.”

“No. But, it’s abundant on Cygnaria Prime. That’s why the Alphans picked up their attacks on Forx. The Remans need more of this thalaron ore to create the radiation for their jump cores. The Turulians use quantum singularities to create their jump drives. The Remans couldn’t figure out how to do it, despite their close relationship to the Turulians. Instead, they found a deadlier version of their jump drives with this thalaron ore.”

“Remus has run out and they’ve bled Lapus dry,” I said, “effectively killing the planet. What about Remus?”

“Remus is already a dead planet, but they are supported by their dangerous and vicious war fleet. They keep to themselves, for the most part, only venturing out of the Neutral Zone when they need supplies,” Dad said. “It appears that they allied themselves with the Alphans to strengthen their fleet.”

“Do the Remans know that the Alphans are dying?” I asked.

“Yes and they are using it to their advantage. Rose sent down a nurse to the brig to collect samples from our prisoners. The Remans are _drugging_ the Alphans, masking their radiation poisoning and making it appear that they are perfectly healthy. The Alphans are sicker than they realize. Two of the warriors are in end-stage renal cancer. The third has an enlarged heart and the last one, the one who attacked you, has a tumor in his belly that is the size of a small melon,” Dad frowned. “They will die within a few weeks, Edward.”

“And the Remans?”

“They are immune to the effects of the radiation, both from the mining of the thalaron ore and the thalaron radiation itself. Part of it has to do with their world. Its atmosphere is thinner and more solar radiation seeps through. Their genes have adapted to the increased radiation exposure and effectively made them immune.”

“So, the Remans and the Alphans want to conquer the Cygnarians all for a deadly, radioactive ore to power their ships?” I spat. “Over my rotting corpse. I know that we are supposed to find a diplomatic solution to all of this, but this is _beyond_ diplomacy.”

“I agree. This thalaron radiation scares the shit out of me, Edward,” Dad growled. “I have an encoded message to President M’Tak. We need the Federation Council’s approval to go to war.”

“I do not want to resort to that. If it’s possible, I want to try to stop all of this before it turns into something bloody and ugly. With the addition of the Remans and this thalaron radiation, it’s creating something _more_.” I pinched my nose, feeling a headache bubble underneath my skin. “I want a briefing with both the _Enterprise_ crew and mine. Ask Captain Picard to give me all of his findings on the _Scimitar_ , that Reman war bird that attacked his vessel. We stay in orbit of _M’ay’aki_ for less than twelve hours and then we are setting course for Lapus.”

“Why do you think the Reman ship went there?”

“Because they took Bella. Jakob wants her so badly. He would only want her on his own terms and that means on his own planet,” I said. “For now, assemble a science team to have them figure out a way to disable the Reman cloak and how to neutralize the thalaron radiation. I want to meet with everyone in the conference room in one hour.”

“Are you commanding me as emperor?” Dad smirked. “Because, I’m certain I outrank you, son.”

“Dad, don’t fuck with me,” I snarled, glaring at him. “Those … _extapi_ … they took my _te’atée._ I need her back. I can’t do this without her. If I have to command you as the god damned emperor or the Queen of fucking Sheba, I will.” My dad stood up and he walked to me. He took my face in his hands before enfolding me into a tight embrace. The dam broke and I sobbed into his shoulder, my heart deadening with each light year my _te’atée_ moved away from me.

“I’m sorry, Edward,” Dad whispered. “I can’t even fathom what you must be feeling.”

“I feel dead,” I croaked, wiping my face. “Dead, Dad. My heart has stopped beating and will not restart until I have her back in my arms.” I sniffled once more, looking up at him. “I’m commanding you as the emperor of Forx. Please, do as I ask. One hour.”

“Understood,” my father replied, bowing reverently. He left me in my office. I dragged my body to the desk, sitting down heavily. I thrust my hands into my hair and clawed at it. I truly felt like I was dead, a zombie. Scrubbing my face, I scratched at where Rose injected the tiny transmitter under my skin. My eyes widened. She had done the same for Bella. I wasn’t sure about the range, but it was at least a start.

“Computer, do you have a lock on the transmitter on Empress Nirabelle?” I asked. “Use long range scanners if necessary.”

“Lock confirmed,” the computer replied.

“What are the coordinates? Is the transmitter moving?” I asked.

“The transmitter is moving at jump speed, factor seven. It’s trajectory is moving toward Alphan space. Based on its course, it should reach Lapus within two days,” the computer answered.

“Based off the scans from the Reman vessel, what is their maximum jump factor?” I barked, standing up.

“Using known factors like size, jump core configuration and similar vessels, the maximum jump factor for the Reman vessel is the same as the _U.S.S. Volvo_ , jump factor eight point three.”

“Can we intercept the transmitter?” I asked.

“Affirmative. If the _U.S.S. Volvo_ breaks orbit now, we will intercept with the transmitter in twelve hours, thirteen minutes and five seconds,” the computer answered.

I hailed my father, “Change in plans, Dad.”

We broke orbit, leaving the _Enterprise_ to investigate _M’ay’aki_. We would eventually rendezvous back at the Alphan outpost within two days, with Bella. Hopefully. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading up on thalaron radiation, from the scans of the Reman ship, detailed accounts from Captain Picard and the Federation database. I was so buried in my work that I didn’t even hear the door chime. Rose walked in, using her medical override and sat down across from me. “You’ll be happy to know that Lieutenant Riley’s bowels are back inside his body and he should make a full recovery,” Rose smirked.

“Thanks for informing me,” I said, picking up one of the many tablets on my desk. _Must focus on something other than the emptiness inside._

“AAAAAAND, Charanel is starting to wake up,” she added.

I looked up at her, my eyes wide. She was giving me her bitchbrow, her lips puckered like she had sucked on a sour grape. “Fuck. Me.”

“Edward, you’re mated to Nirabelle,” she said sarcastically. “We did a lot of fucking while we were married, but now that you’re with someone else and I’m happily with Emmett …”

“Rose, shut up.” I leaned forward, tugging my hair. I was a mess. A total, and utter mess. I needed Nirabelle. I hated feeling so bereft without her by my side, but with our soul connection, it was inevitable. I looked back up at Rose, trying to keep my emotions at bay but I knew that she could feel everything that was reeling in my body. However, her expression indicated she didn’t care that I was a hairsbreadth away from losing my shit.

She scowled at me, giving me her version of the bitch brow. “Edward, you should be there for him. Maralice is a good surrogate, but he needs you,” Rose said, her voice softening. “Are we still closing on the transmitter?”

“In six hours, we should be right on top of it,” I said. “That’s if it doesn’t change course or increase speed.”

“Edward, Charanel is going to be confused, tired and lost. He needs people he recognizes and that he loves. He loves you so much,” Rose said. I huffed out a few breaths, my sadness causing my chest to constrict. “I can feel your pain. I don’t know how you’re functioning, but I can feel it.” She reached over and took my hand. “Perhaps, helping Charanel will make the pain stop.”

“Unlikely, but I’m going. Can you bring this to the science team? It’s some more in depth analysis of thalaron radiation,” I said, handing her a tablet. She stood up, taking it from me. Walking around my desk, she wrapped her arms around my neck. A broken sob burst through my lips and I allowed myself this one moment of weakness.

“Edward, you’ll find her. I’m glad that we injected the transmitter under her skin,” Rose whispered, crouching down in front of me. “Do you want to know what I’m feeling from you?”

“I think I know,” I said, wiping my damp cheeks.

“An empty pain,” she replied.

“Not helping, Rosalie,” I deadpanned.

She smacked my knee. “But beside the pain, I feel determination, anger, focus, ambition, drive and an all-encompassing love. Nirabelle is fine. If she wasn’t, it would register within you. I hope you know that.” She squeezed my hands before getting up gracefully. “I’ll drop this off in the science lab. Meet you in sickbay?”

“I’ll be there,” I said. “Thank you, Rose.” She smiled before picking up the tablet. She nodded, leaving my ready room. I took a few deep breaths, getting up from my desk. When I stood up, I felt my heart jolt and a strong, deep-seated pain. It took my breath away. _BELLA!_ I screamed mentally. Panting, I pushed away from the desk and stumbled out of the ready room, making my way to sickbay. I was barely upright when I fell into the medical facility. Maralice bolted and she cradled me as I fell to my knees.

“Is it Nirabelle?” she asked as I panted.

“Yes,” I choked out. “When I got up from my desk, I was nearly knocked on my ass from the pain I felt. Is it because Bella’s being …” I trailed off, afraid to say it.

“Edward, try not to think that,” she said, helping me onto a medical bed. “You’d know.” Maralice’s eyes held a sadness and shame, but I knew she was right. The pain I felt was all in my chest, arms, legs and back. A wave of fatigue washed over me and I shook my head, trying to stay awake. “She must have passed out. Nirabelle is strong, Edward. With the training you provided her and her cunning senses, she will not allow Jakob or the Remans to take her _that_ way.”

“We need to find her,” I rasped.

“The fact that you’re feeling what she’s feeling means that we’re getting closer, Edward,” she said, rubbing my shoulders.

I sniffed once, nodding slightly. “How’s Charanel?” I asked.

“Asleep, but not medicated. Rose said she’d wake him up when she gets back. He’s going to have to relearn everything,” Maralice responded, smiling gently. The door opened and Rose breezed in. My ex-wife arched a brow, probably registering everything that I was experiencing at the moment. I shook my head minutely. Rose caught my drift and ignored the lethargy, empty, hollow pain and sadness emanating from my very pores. “Are you going to wake up Prince Charanel?”

“Yes. This way,” she said, leading us into the surgical bay. I stood next to Charanel, taking his hand. Tucked under his arm was the Flotter toy I had replicated for him. Rose picked up a hypospray, injecting his neck with a medication to wake him up. His eyes fluttered and he sat up immediately. His blue eyes were darting all around the room. His muscles tensed and he looked like he was ready to run.

“Charanel,” I said softly. He turned to me, narrowing his eyes and he backhanded me, causing me to stumble against the bulkhead. Rose stepped between me and Charanel, sending calming waves over him. He settled down, looking at me. He tilted his head to the side. Maralice was holding a towel to my face since his fist came in contact with my nose. It was bleeding profusely.

“Charanel, I don’t want to sedate you,” Rose said, her voice had a distinct bite. Charanel turned to look at her. “Do you know where you are?” He nodded, rubbing his temples. “Do you know who the woman is, holding the towel to Edward’s face?” Again he nodded, looking at Maralice carefully. “And the man?”

“ _Fei’rene_ ,” Charanel replied, his voice without its gravel and slur. “Where’s Nirabelle? Where’s my sister? She was here earlier and now she’s gone.” His eyes had softened and they were beseeching me for answers. “Edward, please tell me.”

“She was taken, Charanel,” I answered. “Norex, the coordinates he gave us, they were a trap. An Alphan trap and we discovered that they are allied with the Remans.”

“But, my sister. She’s okay,” Charanel whispered.

“For now. We’re flying to get to her, Charanel,” I murmured, moving closer. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve got a headache and everything seems different,” he replied, looking around the room. “Smaller, you know?”

“Charanel, before you talk to Edward. I want to perform a few basic neurologic tests,” Rose said. He nodded, following her instructions. He passed them with flying colors, even going above her expectations. Her concern was his act of aggression towards me, but it was his ‘fight or flight’ response when he woke up. Charanel said that he freaked out once he woke up, not seeing Nirabelle. Once she was okay with his replies, she gave him the all-clear to come back to my quarters with me to finish his recuperation. Charanel dressed himself, picking up his toy and followed me to my quarters. He was examining every inch of our trek, almost committing it to memory.

“How are you, really?” I asked as I let him into my quarters.

“Everything is different. The same but so different,” he said, looking around the room. “I don’t know how to describe it, honestly. I know I’m different. I sound different and things make sense to me.” He sat down, wrapping his arms around Flotter. “I’m not a _yanhesh_ like Norex called me.”

“You never were, Charanel,” I said, sitting next to him.

“I was, Edward. I couldn’t read. I still can’t,” he grumped. “I saw the symbols before and I didn’t recognize them. Now? I just don’t know how.”

“You can be taught, _fei’rene._ ”

“I can. Now,” Charanel smiled and I saw the innocent boy from before. However, his eyes hold a quiet confidence. His stomach growled. His spots warmed and his skin erupted in flames.

“Let’s get you something to eat,” I said. With an appreciative grin, Charanel nodded and we went to the mess hall. We ate dinner and I showed Charanel how to use the replicator. He also asked for tablets and books. He was eager to try out his new and improved brain. Spending time with him has helped, but the pain that my mate was enduring was never far from my mind. Every so often, in the few hours after Charanel woke up, I felt a jolt or a dull-nagging ache followed by more fatigue. My mate, my love was fighting for life and was exhausted.

“Whitlock to Cullen,” chirped my communicator.

I tapped it. “Cullen here,” I replied.

“We’re closing in on the coordinates, sir. There is nothing there and no evidence of gamma radiation,” Jasper said. “If they are aboard a Reman vessel, they must have figured out a way to mask that clue of the cloak.”

“It’s probably because the cloak was designed to work with Reman technology,” I said. “The device in the Alphan vessel was hooked up with so many different wires, barely integrating it into their systems. I’m on my way, Jasper.” Turning to Charanel, I frowned. “I have to go.”

“I want to go with you,” he said. “If they’re holding my sister, I want to be there for her like she was for me for my entire life, Edward.”

“Okay,” I said, not wanting to be away from him. The fierce look on his face indicated that he was not going to take no for an answer. “I trust you, but if you do get emotional, I will have you removed from the bridge.” He nodded, standing up tall and his jaw clenching. We left my quarters, arriving on the bridge a few moments later. Charanel’s eyes widened as he looked around the bridge. I led him to the seat Bella usually sat on. Stiffly, he settled into the seat. “I want the coordinates on screen.”

“Sir,” barked Lieutenant Meade. The screen blinked and there was an unassuming cloud nebula and a few twinkling stars. No ship. Nothing on the screen indicated that Bella was close by. In my heart, my _soul_ , I knew she was there. “According to sensors, there is nothing there.”

“She’s there,” I growled.

“I agree,” replied Lieutenant Commander Anderson. “The transmitter is coming from within that cloud, Captain.”

I sat down, pulling up the sensors on my personal computer. The transmitter signal was strong, registering from within the nebulous cloud. Looking back up, I focused my mind on Bella’s. _Fíorghrá, we’re close by. Can you hear me?_

 _Edward…_ her mental voice sounded exhausted. _You have to get out of here. They will destroy the_ Volvo _. Are your shields up?_

_Yes. Bella, I’m not leaving you. Can you disable the cloaking shield?_

_I’m chained to a wall in Jakob’s room. Both of my legs are broken amongst other things. I can’t move,_ she said, her voice getting smaller. _You have to go. Edward, I love you, but please, I can’t have you die because of me!_

 _Bella … I can’t. I need you, love. I’m not giving up. You have to know that!_ I clawed my hair, glaring at the screen. I didn’t want to be the one to fire. They were hurting my love. I could feel her pain, her fear. I leaned forward, trying to keep my emotions at bay. I was failing. Miserably.

“Sir, on screen,” Jasper said, elbowing me.

Shimmering in front of us was a huge Reman battle cruiser. I could see the similarities to the _Scimitar_. Assessing it with our sensors, the defensive and offensive capabilities of the ship were daunting. They were better armed, but they weren’t firing. “We’re being hailed, Captain,” Lieutenant Meade announced.

“Go ahead,” I said, sitting taller. _Don’t show them weakness._ The screen changed and the ugly face of an Alphan filled it. I recognized him immediately.

“Captain Edward Cullen,” sneered Crown Prince Jakob. He looked thinner from the last time I saw him. I smirked at that. “Norex has proven himself a worthy ally. Too bad he’s no longer in possession of his head. I could have used him some more. We were _this_ close to getting what we wanted with Empress Nirabelle. Now? She’s mine. And you can’t have her back.”

“You’re wrong, Jakob,” I spat, anger flaring through my body. “When your ships fired upon Federation property, you declared war against the Federation. We also know your plans for the Cygnarians. You will not win.”

“I beg to differ,” Jakob chuckled, arching a bushy brow. He grunted and on screen, four other cloaked ships appeared. “You’re outmanned and outgunned, _Emperor_. Though, when I take your planet, I will claim your mate as mine. She will feel so good around me.”

“I will kill you before you touch her that way,” I yelled, jumping from my seat.

“Who’s to say that I haven’t?” Jakob leered, a smarmy evil smile covering his face.

“I know you haven’t,” I hissed, my hands clenched into tight fists at my sides. I sent calming, loving thoughts to my mate, vowing to get her back safely. I told her I loved her repeatedly. It was the only thing preventing me from destroying the Reman battle cruiser. “And if you value your short life, you won’t.”

Jakob laughed maniacally. “I’m not going anywhere, _Emperor_. Forx and the Cygnarian system will belong to me. Make no mistake. In fact, you have a co-conspirator on your bridge.” Jakob blinked over to Charanel, his smile becoming more evil. “Excellent job, Charanel, in bringing down the shields at _H’Nan._ ”

“What?” I whispered, glaring back at Charanel. He looked so terrified, falling into himself. I whipped around, sneering back at Jakob.

“You didn’t know?” Jakob asked, his eyes wide and an evil smirk planted on his face. He laughed again, muttering something in Alphan. The other ships disappeared. “The next time I see you, _Emperor_ , will be when I claim Forx and Nirabelle as mine.” He nodded and the _Volvo_ rocked with an impact from the Reman disruptors.

“SHIELDS!” I barked. “Red alert and return fire! Do not shoot to destroy!” We returned fire, but the ship disappeared, but still firing its weapons at us. _How can they fire while they’re cloaked? Bella said that it was impossible!_ The Reman ship kept firing until the shields around our necelles failed. With one more shot, our jump drive was rendered inactive. We were leaking jump plasma and the dilithium matrix was unstable. We were stranded in the middle of the Neutral Zone.

“Morgainne to Cullen!” growled Emmett. “I need as many able-bodied people down in engineering as possible. That last shot destabilized the jump-core. We may have to dump the drive.”

 _Fuck!_ “Whatever you need,” I said, looking to Jasper. “We’re all on our way. Anderson, escort Charanel to my quarters and lock him inside.” I narrowed my eye at my mate’s brother, anger swirling in every fiber of my being.

“Edward, I didn’t know,” he whimpered, looking at me woefully. “I didn’t. I swear!” He babbled in Cygnarian, wringing his hands anxiously.

“We’ll talk after I stop my ship from blowing up,” I said coldly. I nodded to Anderson, who stood over Charanel intimidatingly. “Lieutenant Meade, send an emergency hail to the _Enterprise._ We are in need of assistance. You have the bridge, Lieutenant.” Anderson grabbed Charanel’s arm and led him to one turbolift, while I got on the other with Jasper. In engineering, we worked tirelessly until we get the jump core stabilized without having to dump it. If we did, we wouldn’t have had enough power to get away from the antimatter blast. Our impulse engines were also damaged by the Reman’s disruptors. The _Volvo_ would have been crippled, if not destroyed. Thankfully, we managed to salvage what we could. We would have to be towed back to Cygnarian space, but my vessel was intact.

We stayed at the nebulous cloud, waiting to rendezvous with the _Enterprise._ I dragged my exhausted, sore body away from engineering once Emmett declared it safe, nearly eighteen hours after the initial attack. I was struggling to walk back to my quarters when Rose ran into me. Her eyes were filled with trepidation. “What?” I asked.

“Bella’s transmitter stopped working,” she said, holding up a tablet. “My guess was that Jakob had her scanned and had it removed. We can’t track her.” I read the information, causing a deep-seated pain to radiate through my body. It was a cruel reminder that she was not nearby.

“I can’t feel her, either,” I said, rubbing my chest. “I mean, I know she’s alive and in pain, but other than that, I can’t register her.”

“We’ll get her back, Edward. I promise you,” Rose muttered, hugging me. Pulling back, she appraised me. She didn’t say anything, but I could tell she was concerned. “Is it true about Charanel?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to speak with him now,” I said, running my hand through my messy hair. “I have no doubt that Charanel was probably manipulated by Norex, but I want to hear it from his mouth. You know?”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Rose asked. I knew her concern and she probably wanted to join me to let me use her empathic abilities. Charanel was still adapting to his new mind. He didn’t need Rose manipulating him or reading him. He probably didn’t even know what he was doing or how he felt. I wanted to broach this conversation on my own. Charanel was comfortable with me. He trusted me. But, did I trust him?

“No. I want to have this conversation with Charanel and then try to get some sleep. I’ve been up for nearly two days. I need a clear head if I’m going to be of any use in the rescue mission to get Bella,” I said.

“You have to be prepared that you won’t be able to go on this rescue mission, Edward,” Rose chided gently. “I know that you are the emperor and can lead in her place, but you are too emotionally involved to think clearly.” She rubbed my arm when I scowled at her. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We can’t exactly track her now. Call me if you need something to help you sleep, Edward.”

I thanked her, walking the rest of the way to my quarters. I relieved the security officer from my door, explaining that I would speak with Prince Charanel. When I got inside my quarters, I found Charanel on the couch, surrounded by several different tablets. His fingers were flying over the tablet. His eyes were drawn and tired, but he was working diligently. “What are you doing?” I asked.

“Trying to figure out the Reman cloaking shield,” he answered. I furrowed my brow, confused at his response. “The surgery worked wonders on my mind, Edward. I downloaded a program from your computer to teach me to read. I learned how to read English and I’ve been looking at the sensor readings from our interactions with the Reman ship.” He frowned, his face crumbling. “It’s the least I could do after I found out I killed all of those people on _H’Nan_.”

I took the tablet from his hands, looking at him. “Tell me what happened, Charanel. I know that this was before your surgery ...”

“I remember everything, Edward,” he said, picking up Flotter. He pressed his nose into the toy. “I understand everything, too.” He hugged his toy, curling up on the couch. “Shortly after you locked Norex up for treason, he asked to see me and for me to bring a tablet. He said that we were going to play a game. He told me what to do and to punch in a sequence of codes into the computer in Maralice’s office. He knew that I had free reign there. I may not have been able to read, but I recognized symbols and patterns. I played the game. When the screen blinked red and a siren blared, I knew I did something wrong. I erased the game and ran to my room, hiding in my closet. I stayed there until D’Metri came looking for me, fetching me for our evening meal. I could barely eat. I knew I had done something terribly wrong. I didn’t realize what it was until Jakob thanked me. I never … I’m not a traitor, Edward. Please, don’t kill me.” Tears fell down his cheeks and he cried softly.

“Charanel, what you did was not your fault. Your uncle manipulated you into dropping those shields. He knew that you’d have access to Maralice’s office and would be able to remember the patterns on the computer screen. He was a coward and a traitor. His decision to use you solidifies our belief in that. You had the mind of a child and all you wanted to do was to make him happy. If he truly loved you, he would have _never_ done that. He deserved his fate. You don’t. I don’t blame you. I know that Bella wouldn’t, either. Norex is to blame,” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

“But, I caused the shields to fail on _H’Nan_. That was me. I thought it was a game,” he said, his spots a sickly gray, matching his pale skin. “Because I was so stupid, I killed all of those people.”

“No. You didn’t,” I said, forcefully, taking his hands into mine. “The Alphans, Norex, the Remans – they did. They killed the colonists on _H’Nan_. If Norex hadn’t gotten you to input those codes, he would have manipulated someone else. Don’t blame yourself, please.”

“I hate him, Edward. He made me feel like I was worthless,” Charanel whispered, his eyes darkening in anger.

“I hated him, too. Because of how he treated your sister, how he treated you and his complete lack of regard to his own people,” I muttered. I draped my arm over his shoulders. Charanel leaned his head against my chest, clutching his Flotter toy. Despite his growth in intelligence, his emotions and mentality were one of a child. He would need counseling to help with his emotional maturity. _Worry about that later, Cullen._ “Don’t hate yourself because of what Norex tricked you into doing. I don’t. Quite the opposite, really. I love you and I will do everything I can to ensure the safety of all Cygnarians and your sister.”

“I think I may have figured that out. Well, at least finding my sister,” Charanel said, getting up and picking up a tablet. “I read that the Reman ships are run on thalaron radiation, right?” I nodded. “Well, thalaron radiation, when it’s used, leaves a wake of laron particles. They are inert but do not dissipate for over five hundred years. Also, each ship has a specific signature based on the materials used to build it. Using your ship’s sensors, I mapped out the trajectory of the Reman battle cruiser that we followed. I also identified the laron particles specific to that ship.” He handed me the tablet, showing me an extrapolated course from the Reman battle cruiser. “You’ll still be able to track my sister and that ship, or any Reman ship.”

“Charanel, you’re a genius,” I breathed, reading through his research.

“I’m not, but I had to do something to make it right,” he whispered, leaning his cheek against my shoulder. “We have to save my sissy and now you can.”

**A/N: I know that it seems unrealistic that Charanel would heal so quickly and that he would be able to teach himself to read, but it’s _science fiction._ And the brain, the Cygnarian brain, is a remarkable thing. Now that his synapses are firing correctly, Charanel is a scientific savant. Also, many of you thought that Charanel was the one who brought down the shields, but it was Norex, using Charanel by proxy. He manipulated his nephew. **

**Should Charanel be held responsible? Or do you agree with Edward’s assessment?**

**Up next, we’re switching back to Bella, starting at the point where she was abducted. I promise you that she will not be sexually assaulted. She will be tortured, somewhat, but she will prove to be a valiant and snarky prisoner. Will Edward get to her or will she be brought back to Forx? Leave me some!**

**I have a few pictures for this chapter. They are on my blogs and tumblr. You can find links to those on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation or on twitter: tufano79. Thanks for reading! ;-)**

_Extapi ~_ _Cygnarian word, cowards_

 


	14. Chapter 14

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next, we’re switching back to Bella, starting at the point where she was abducted. I promise you that she will not be sexually assaulted. She will be tortured, somewhat, but she will prove to be a valiant and snarky prisoner. Will Edward get to her or will she be brought back to Forx? Leave me some!**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**BPOV**

“You’ll get your opportunity, Jakob,” snarled a male voice. I recognized it, but couldn’t place it. My head was foggy and every centimeter of my body was in pain. “I want to interrogate the empress. See if she’s willing to bargain her life and the life of her worthless human mate.”

“How can you interrogate her when you’re on Forx?” Jakob spat. I moaned, rolling to see if I could recognize the man that Jakob was talking to. Jakob’s form was blocking the computer screen. “Interrogations are much more fun when you can inflict harm to the prisoner. Or _other_ things.” Jakob laughed evilly, cracking his knuckles.

“You will not touch her that way, Jakob. You do and you will die a slow, painful death. Oh, wait. You are,” snickered the voice.

“I’m not, you _funoch!_ ” Jakob yelled, standing up abruptly. “Vruk has given me medications that have stopped all of my weaknesses. I am infallible. And I will _q’tacki_ that _b’tak_. I will feel her bleeding _funoch_ around me. Norex promised me and even in death, that promise is not void.” He pressed a button and I heard the screen switch off. Jakob stalked over to me, tightening my restraints around my wrists. I stayed ‘asleep.’ “You will be mine, _b’tak._ Your uncle promised me this.” He dragged his sharp nail above my sex. He stood up, kicking my back and leaving me in the too-cold room. I heard the door hiss shut.

Blinking my eyes open, I sat up with great difficulty. The restraints around my wrists were too tight, cutting into the skin. I was still in the Galaxy Fleet uniform but the communicator, tricorder and phaser had been removed. Around my ankle, I still wore the knife. I could also feel the transmitter under my skin near my jaw. I was grateful that I had something to protect myself with and a means for the _Volvo_ to find me. _Edward, please … find me …_

I curled up, trying to keep warm. The room was frigidly cold. I looked around the room. It was dark with green computer screens lighting up the room eerily. I could see a small living area, a bed and computer console. Outside, the stars streaked past. We were at jump speed, traveling far away from my _ti’ane._ That probably explained the ache in my chest. I had other aches and pains, but I assumed it was due from whatever they injected me with and the physical assault on my body.

I sat against the wall, shivering uncontrollably until the door opened. Gliding into the room, my aunt Liannette carried a tray and a grumpy look on her face. “You’re awake,” she said sourly. “Which is more than I can say for my mate.”

“What Norex did was punishable by death, Liannette,” I replied simply. “And if you ever return to Forx, you will meet with the same fate. Your younger children will be considered outcasts, orphans and considered to be wards of the state. No one will adopt them because of what their parents did and they will not have a future. Was it worth it?”

“When you are dead and we have a new empress, then it will be,” Liannette smirked. “There are a lot of people who are not happy with your appointment as empress, Nirabelle.”

“I’m well aware of who is not happy with my appointment as empress. It’s all of the nobles who left the planet,” I said, arching a brow. “And the man that Jakob was speaking to on his computer. I know his voice, but who is he?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she sneered. “It’s someone close to you, me and to your father. He was not happy when your father contacted the Federation and even more so when the Cygnarians were admitted into the Federation. We don’t need the Federation. We have the Alliance.”

“Who is in this Alliance?” I asked.

“Cygnarians, Alphans and Remans,” she answered. “We’re close to admitting the Talaxians and the Ferengi. Both of those species are not happy with the Federation presence in this quadrant. Their idealistic morals and Prime Directive are trite and stupid.”

“As far as I’m concerned, the Cygnarians are not a part of your Alliance,” I snorted humorlessly. “You are not the empress and you do not speak for _my people_. You are a traitor and will pay for your crimes. All of the nobles who are here with you are traitors. If you are ever caught in Cygnarian space, you will be held accountable for your crimes. You will be joining your mate in whatever limbo he is in.”

“You are not in any sort of position to make any threats, Nirabelle,” Liannette growled, glaring at me. “In case you haven’t forgotten, you are being held on a Reman battle cruiser. I won’t be able to keep Jakob away from you for long. His patience is wearing thin.” Tossed a tray onto the floor. “Eat, _xytiria_.”

“No,” I said calmly, staring at her. “You could have poisoned this. I’d rather keep my wits about me.” Liannette’s posture tensed. The food had been poisoned. She pressed a button on the console in the room. A Reman entered, his yellow eyes glowing in the darkness. She nodded to him and he stalked over to me. He grabbed my face, lifting me from the floor. His talons were cutting into my neck. I squirmed, but to no avail. He pinched my nose. When my mouth opened up and my aunt poured water down my throat. I could almost immediately feel the effects of the drugs, making my movements jerky and lethargic. Once the bottle was empty, I was dropped onto the floor. The Reman snarled, stomping on one of my legs. I whimpered, feeling the bone snap.

“Do not let Jakob into this room alone. He is becoming more and more lustful when it comes to Nirabelle. I made a promise to my mate and our leader that she is to not be touched in _that_ way until we have taken over the planet,” Liannette explained, her voice cold and now fading into the distance. “Once we arrive on Forx, Jakob will take Nirabelle in front of her people and her mate before he slaughters her.”

“I never knew that Cygnarians could be so cruel,” the Reman replied.

“Vruk, when we are wronged, we can be as vindictive as an Alphan or a Reman. Nirabelle, her father and the entire Imperial family has been squashing the needs of the Cygnarian people. We will finally flourish!” Liannette said, laughing maniacally. She walked to me, kicking my ribs and leaving me. As I faded out of consciousness, I felt a hand on my face. I tried to push away, but the medication made me feel heavy and I was rooted to the ground. I shuddered before succumbing to sedative, my stomach lurching with the amount of pain radiating through my body.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

When I woke up, I was still in the frigid room but I had a blanket covering me. It was black and heavy, successfully thwarting the cold. It was an unexpected kindness in such a horrific situation. I curled up tighter under the black blanket, trying to keep as warm as I could for as long as possible. But, the pain in my body caused me to shift. Sitting up, I noticed that we had stopped. Outside of the window, there was a beautiful cloud nebula, casting the room in an eerie glow.

My body ached from the blows from my captors. My heart, though, was not as empty. Edward was following me. He was tracking me, using the transmitter that was still underneath my flesh. The doors slid open, revealing Liannette, Jakob and Vruk. Jakob ripped me from the floor, slamming me against the wall. “How do we have a Federation star ship following us, Nirabelle?” he spat.

“I don’t know,” I whimpered. “Please … don’t hurt me.”

“We were cloaked. Our cloak is undetectable,” Vruk said, crossing his arms over his wide chest. “How can that vessel track our movements?”

“Perhaps your intel on the Federation is flawed,” I said, glaring at the Reman. “Their technology is quite advanced.”

“Unlikely,” Vruk snorted. “They do not even use cloaking technology. Why would they have sensors that register cloaked ships when they don’t even use it? You lie, Empress.”

“She is not the empress!” Liannette growled. “Drop her.” Jakob growled lowly at my aunt. Liannette snarled back, tugging on Jakob’s arm. He dropped me, stomping on my other leg, shattering it. Liannette took out a medical scanner, running it over my body. It beeped lowly when it came in contact with the transmitter. “She’s been chipped. When we captured her, it allowed the _Volvo_ to follow us because she was transmitting a distress signal.” She pulled out a tiny knife, going to remove the transmitter.

The door hissed open again, another Reman stumbling inside. She was smaller, but still lethal-looking. “According to the commander, the Federation ship is scanning us, Vruk,” she said.

“Stay with Nirabelle, N’essie,” Vruk spat, breezing past the female Reman. The three of them left. N’essie remained, eyeing me dubiously. I was crying from the pain I was in, wanting nothing more than the warm arms of my mate.

_Fíorghrá, we’re close by. Can you hear me?_

_Edward…_ I replied, relieved that he was nearby but terrified that Vruk and Jakob would destroy his ship. _You have to get out of here. They will destroy the_ Volvo _. Are your shields up?_

_Yes. Bella, I’m not leaving you. Can you disable the cloaking shield?_

I tried to move, but it was no use. Both of my legs were broken and I was chained to a wall. _I’m chained to a wall in Jakob’s room. Both of my legs are broken amongst other things. I can’t move_. _You have to go. Edward, I love you, but please, I can’t have you die because of me!_

_Bella … I can’t. I need you, love. I’m not giving up. You have to know that!_

N’essie stomped over to me, her neon green eyes flashing in anger. “Stop talking to your mate,” she hissed, backhanding me. My head hit the edge of the wall and I collapsed. Blood was dripping from the head laceration and I was becoming more and more dizzy. My mental connection with my mate was severed from my losing battle with consciousness. The ship rolled. I could see the _Volvo_ firing phasers at the ship we were on. The lights dimmed and the ship continued to attack the _Volvo._ With one more parting shot, the ship went to jump speed, causing the stars to blur.

Vruk and Liannette came back into the room. Vruk pushed N’essie away, barking something to her in Reman. She glared at him, leaving us. Vruk picked me up like I weighed nothing. With a sharp tug, the chains attached to the bulkhead tore away and I was slammed onto the computer console. Vruk used on his sharp talons, cutting into my neck. I screamed, wriggling against his strong hold. “Stop squirming, _xytiria_ ,” Liannette hissed. “You are not allowed to die. Not yet.”

Vruk plucked out the transmitter, crushing it easily with his fingers. “I don’t understand why we can’t float her. Send her out of an airlock.”

“We need her,” Liannette said, pressing a cloth to my bleeding neck. “She needs to relinquish her claim to the throne for our plan to work, Vruk.”

“If she’s dead, then you won’t have any issues,” Vruk replied simply.

“Charanel, her brother, would be the next in line for the throne. He’s a _yanhesh_ and would be easily manipulated,” Liannette snickered. “It’s already been done once before. My mate, Norex, tricked Charanel into lowering the shields on _H’Nan_ so the Alphan cruisers could destroy the colony.”

“No!” I wheezed.

“Yes. Your idiot brother killed all of those people,” Liannette said coldly. “Your father should have killed him when he discovered Charanel had a developmental delay. He was a liability and still is.” She pulled the cloth away from my neck and it was still bleeding. “Get a medic in here to cauterize this wound. I can’t stand blood.” Liannette stepped away, wiping her hands slowly. “We also need to change her out of that uniform.”

“When we get closer to Forx, we will. First, though, we need to stop at the Reman home world to pick up some reinforcements. We have several stealth cloaked vessels that can act as reconnaissance prior to our arrival,” Vruk replied. “We can take the planet with those ships, several Reman battle cruisers and two Alphan war birds.” Vruk called for a medic and my wound was haphazardly cared for. I was tossed back onto the floor, given another dose of tranquilizer-laced water and I slipped into unconsciousness.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The next time I woke up, there was someone washing my face. I opened my eyes, seeing my eldest cousin, Norelle, wiping down my skin with a clean, warm towel. Norelle was the oldest daughter of Liannette and Norex. She was a few years older than me and at one time, considered to be my closest friend.

Until I became the empress.

“Try not to move, Nirabelle,” she whispered.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, wincing when the towel passed over the wound on my neck.

“I’m trying to help you. My mother and father have lost all sense of reality,” she spat, her spots flashing in anger. Her brown eyes sought mine, sadness lingering beneath them. “My father deserved his punishment and so does my mother. What they are doing is awful, Nirabelle.”

“How do I know that you are not spying on me? Trying to lure me into trusting you,” I questioned, sitting up abruptly. Vertigo caused my stomach to roll, but there was nothing inside to throw up.

“Because my mother is convinced that I am mated to Vruk,” Norelle answered. “I’ve been sequestered in his quarters so he could have his way with me. Little does my mother know that Vruk is not attracted to women, but to men. He is more attracted to Jakob than me. It doesn’t stop him from making me stay inside his quarters without any clothes.”

“How did you get away?”

“Vruk is with Jakob now. I was thrown out. They are …” she blushed, her spots deepening in color.

“Mating,” I shuddered.

“Yes. If you can call it that,” Norelle cringed. “I stayed once. Jakob wanted me to watch him take Vruk so I can tell you what he will do to you when we arrive back at Forx. I never saw so much blood, Nirabelle. And they both loved it.”

“Are you the only one on this ship?” I asked. “What about the rest of the nobles?”

“We’re all here. My father was to give you a message to come to that planet, _M’ay’aki_. It was a trap. They put some sort of device inside an abandoned building, giving off false life signs. We waited and then, they attacked. You were the target, Nirabelle. Jakob, Vruk and my mother, they want to embarrass you. They want you to crumble as you relinquish your claim to the Imperial Throne. The rest of the nobles are behind them in their decision. My siblings, for the most part, are against it. We are all willing to help you.”

“How can I believe you?” I snapped. “How do I know that you are not tricking me?”

“Because, you are the empress,” Norelle answered. “My loyalty is to you. Jakob, Vruk and my mother, they want to wreak havoc in the quadrant. They want to rule by conquering, not by peace. This Alliance is dangerous, but unorganized. My brother, Lianel, is working on sending your mate a message with the Alliance’s weaknesses. I believe there are many. One is the sickness of the Alphans.”

“We know about that,” I said. “They are dying of radiation poisoning.”

“They are. Vruk is manipulating them. He is giving them medication that is _masking_ their pain, but accelerating their deterioration. All of the Alphans are hooked on this medication. Vruk said that the medication stemmed from a plant growing on Forx,” Norelle explained. “Vruk promised the Alphans the planet Forx and Cygnaria Prime is for the Remans. They want an ore on the planet.”

“This is a mess, Norelle,” I whimpered. “All of this started because of the Alphans and their initial arrival on our planet.”

“It wasn’t the Alphans, Nirabelle. The Remans harnessed jump drive first and they were the first people to conquer our planet, but through history, it was described as the Alphans. The Alphans did join the fight, the Remans were the ones who started it.” She sighed, scrubbing her face. “And there is no end in sight.”

“Do you know who is leading this rebellion on Forx?” I asked.

“I don’t know who exactly, but I do know that it is one of the Council of Elders,” Norelle whispered, her eyes wide. “When mother spoke with him, I never saw his face. His voice is familiar, but I can’t picture him. I only know that it’s one of the Council Members since mother addressed him as Counselor.”

“Where are we?”

Norelle used a medical scanner to heal my neck. “We’re orbiting one of the Reman moons. We should be leaving in a few hours, flying back to Forx.” She looked at me, her skin blanching. “I think that Vruk destroyed your mate’s ship.”

My heart plummeted. I knew that he was okay. The pain I felt was from my injuries and not the emptiness of the loss of a mate. “He didn’t. I can still feel him. They probably caused significant damage to the ship, but Edward is still alive.”

“I’m so grateful,” Norelle sighed. “I like Emperor Edward. From what I remember of your mating ceremony, he seemed like a brave, loyal and loving man.”

“He is everything and more,” I breathed. A few tears slipped from my eyes and I felt his absence even more. “I miss him, Norelle.” My cousin wrapped her arms around me and I allowed myself a few moments to crumble. I had to stay strong.

“We will get you back to him, Nirabelle. This rebellion will not survive. The support on the planet for you is resounding and with the information that Lianel is sending to your mate, it should prove a quick end.” She brushed my hair back that had fell from my bun. “Nirabelle, I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are not harmed any further.”

“Thank you, Norelle,” I said, squeezing her tightly.

“I should go,” Norelle whispered, helping me back to the pallet on the floor. “Vruk and Jakob should be nearly done.” Her nose wrinkled and she shuddered. Norelle covered me with the heavy blanket. “I’m sorry about the temperature. The Reman home world is significantly colder and a side effect of the medication that Vruk is giving all of the Alphans is that they run substantially hotter.” She handed me some food before leaving me in Jakob’s quarters.

Ten minutes later, Jakob stumbled into his quarters. He removed all of his clothing. I could see scratches and gouges in his skin. In addition to that, there were burns all over his back and along his torso, presumably radiation burns. He grunted, falling into bed and snoring within moments. I quickly ate the protein bar that Norelle gave me. I huddled in my blankets, wishing that I could just blend into the wall, but that would never happen. I must have slipped into a light slumber. I was jarred awake when the ships engines roared to life, barreling us away from the Reman moon at jump speed. Jakob was still snoring, making the bulkheads rattle uncomfortably with his noise.

For a majority of the trip back to Forx, I was ignored. The only time my presence was acknowledged was when Liannette felt it necessary to reinjure my body or when Vruk needed to remind me of my place. Jakob was kept far away from me since he wanted to _q’tack_ me. Liannette was adamant that my body would not be harmed in that way until after I relinquished my claim to the Imperial throne. Jakob would only be allowed in his quarters after he had mated with Vruk and was exhausted, stumbling into bed and sleeping for eight or nine cycles. While Jakob was with Vruk, Norelle healed me using the medical scanner she had stolen from the infirmary on the ship. She also passed along information as she got it.

The _Volvo_ had to be towed back to Cygnarian space by the _Enterprise_. With the amount of damage the vessel had taken, it was in no shape to mount a rescue attempt. Charanel had woken up and was taking well to his surgery. Edward and Maralice had received the information from Lianel, working with the Cygnarian troops and several Federation star ships and war cruisers to prepare for the incoming Reman and Alphan fleet. Lianel had apparently masked their transmission with some sort of EM pulse from the engines. The Remans on the bridge would have never detected it since it appeared to be background noise.

Though the last time I saw Norelle was nearly three days ago. I prayed that she was okay and not suffering the same fate as me. Lianel was noticeably absent as well. Additionally, my daily bouts of torture increased and I was covered – head to toe – in bruises, burns, and lacerations. Underneath my battered skin, I knew I had numerous broken bones and probably internal injuries. It hurt to breathe and my stomach ached with hunger. My legs were smashed and I couldn’t feel my right foot.

Liannette came to me early one morning. N’essie was with her. Jakob was receiving his treatment in the infirmary and I was trying to ignore the sheer amount of agony I was enduring. “Pick her up,” Liannette barked at N’essie. “Change her into this.” She tossed a black, sheer gown onto the mattress in Jakob’s quarters.

N’essie picked me up, tossing me onto the bed. With her talons, she tore my uniform from my body. I was bare in the cold room, shivering and sick. She pulled the gown onto me. Every one of my injuries was visible underneath the fabric. You could see my entire body. My aunt wanted to shame me in front of my people, showing them what a _xytiria_ I was. I quaked on the bed, my heart aching and I yearned for my mate. I needed his loving embrace, his smooth voice and his strength.

“You are weak, Nirabelle. You should have never been crowned as empress,” Liannette sneered. “Now, you can solve that problem. We are less than four hours away from Forx. You will abdicate the throne, vowing your allegiance to Jakob, Vruk and the Alliance and name me as the new empress. If you do as I ask, you will not die, but your honor will be stripped and you will be taken by Jakob. If not, Vruk will annihilate the entire planet of Forx with a burst thalaron radiation. You will be the empress of ash and death.”

“That would be you,” I snorted, glaring at my aunt. “The Alphans are dying. You know this. The Remans know this and yet they are doing everything to accelerate that process.” Liannette growled, twisting one of my broken limbs. I screamed, crying out in agony. Liannette let go, stepping away and crossing her arms.

“Do you wish me to stay with her?” N’essie asked. Liannette nodded, leaving me on the smelly, disgusting bed. Once the door shut, N’essie’s harsh expression softened. “Are you okay?”

“Why do you care?” I spat, hastily wiping my face. “You put enough marks on me to know.”

“Not by choice,” N’essie frowned. “Look, I didn’t want to. I’m with Norelle and Lianel.” My eyes, or rather my eye, widened. The other eye had been swollen shut from a harsh blow by Vruk. “I am a slave, Nirabelle. I belong to Vruk. I will never be free as long as he is alive and even then, I get passed down to his heirs until my own death. I am aware of the pain you are in. I experienced it for most of my life.”

“You’ve received beatings like these?” I asked. The pain in my leg had settled to a dull ache. It was still there.

N’essie nodded sadly, rubbing her arm. “More often than not. I’m covered with scars.” N’essie frowned, rolling up her sleeve. Her gray mottled skin was covered with brutal, nasty scars. Many of which appeared to be ruined by infection, marring her skin. She ran her hand over her arm and a lone tear fell down her cheek. “As I was cleaning Vruk’s quarters after a brutal session with Jakob, Norelle told me of your kindness, your strength. If I helped you, I could possibly request asylum amongst the Cygnarian people or with the Federation.”

“How is Norelle? Lianel? My other cousins?” I asked. Their absence was troubling me in more ways that I could count.

“They are being contained in the brig. Liannette grew paranoid when her daughter disappeared for hours at a time while Jakob and Vruk were mating. She had another slave, Emil, follow her to these quarters. Norelle was taken into custody and Lianel was caught as he sending a subspace transmission to your mate. Liannette would do anything to see you shamed in the eyes of your people.”

“I know that,” I grumbled, shifting uncomfortably. “Can you get a message to my mate? I need him to know that I’m alive.”

“I can’t read,” N’essie said. “The Reman Law forbids all slaves to ever learn to read.”

Borrowing one of Edward’s human phrases, I snarled, “Fuck.”

“I’m sorry,” N’essie whimpered. “I wish I could do more. I can try and figure out how to send a message.”

“Don’t. I don’t want you to be hurt or killed for helping me,” I said. “Could you, though, loosen these restraints?” N’essie nodded, quickly loosening the shackles around my wrists. Pain flooded my arms as the blood flowed freely. I whimpered, looking at how my arms were scarred from the restraints.

As we were sitting on the bed, N’essie told me about her life as a slave for Legate Vruk. Her family had been owned by his for over eight generations. In regards to being a slave, N’essie said that she had it pretty good. Vruk was a fair owner who kept her fed and clothed, allowing her and her family to move freely in his home on the Reman home world. He did have bouts of rage where N’essie would be the recipient of brutal beatings. Hence, the scars on her skin. There were other Reman leaders who would not allow their slaves to eat and when they did, they were only served scraps and rotten food. Other leaders refused to let their slaves wear clothes and they were locked up in cages until they were needed. Despite Vruk’s behavior as a slave owner, N’essie wanted more with her life. Being on this ship, seeing the stars and interacting with other races, it made her not want to remain a slave. I vowed to her that I would help her in any way that I could.

Then, the ship rolled and shuddered.

“What’s that?” N’essie asked, her eyes wide. She ran to the window, looking out into black blanket of space. We had dropped out of jump speed. The stars twinkled innocently despite the violent shudder that wracked the Reman vessel.

“If I had to guess, that was a ship firing on this one,” I answered, straining to see if it was the _Volvo, Enterprise_ or _Intrepid._ There was another harsh jolt. In the room, one of the conduits burst and it was being filled with smoke.

 _Bella, can you hear me?_ Edward’s frantic voice filled my mind.

 _I’m here,_ I replied, my body shaking uncontrollably as my mate was nearby. _Where are you?_

 _I’m in the transporter room of the_ Enterprise _. They are using my brain as a homing beacon, trying to pinpoint your location. Wait! We’ve got a lock. Hold on!_ Inside of the room, the blue glow of the transporter filled my heart with hope. Edward appeared, holding a phaser rifle and gruesome sneer. The sneer dropped when he saw me. “Bella,” he breathed. He ran to me, tenderly embracing me. _I’ve been going mad without you._

“Emperor,” N’essie whispered. “You need to go. Take her with you and leave. The alarms are going off.”

Edward growled at her, glaring at the Reman woman.

“Stop, Edward,” I said. “She helped me. Transport her with us.” Edward nodded, wrapping me in the blanket from the floor and gingerly sweeping me in his arms.

“Cullen to Enterprise,” Edward barked. “Three to beam directly to sickbay.” The transporter tingled in my belly and soon the dark room I had been held captive for nearly a week disappeared. The larger sickbay appeared. I nearly sagged in Edward’s arms, feeling safe and protected. “Captain Picard, we’ve got her and a Reman woman as well.”

“Understood, Emperor. Do you wish us to destroy the Reman cloaked vessel?” Captain Picard asked. The _Enterprise_ rolled.

“I’ll leave that up to you,” Edward said coldly. “Cullen out.” He carried me to the surgical bed, caressing my face as tears welled in his eyes. “Doctor Bashir, please get Doctor Halé. I want her to treat my mate.”

“Of course,” said a tall, dark-skinned man. His eyes were green like my mate’s but he was older, with salt and pepper colored hair and a warm smile. “What about the Reman woman?”

“Her name is N’essie,” I answered. “She has several scars and injuries that need your attention, Doctor. Can you please help her? She also requests asylum.”

“Do you?” asked Doctor Bashir.

“I r-r-r-request asylym,” N’essie said nervously, looking at the doctor. She gripped his arms, her body shaking uncontrollably. “P-P-P-Please!”

“Okay,” Doctor Bashir said, guiding her to a bio-bed outside of the surgical bay. “Captain Cullen, I’ll contact Doctor Halé. She’ll be here shortly.” He settled N’essie on the bed, giving her some medication and he ducked out of sickbay.

Edward nodded absently. He reached into a drawer, pulling out medical gown. He helped me into it, laying me back onto the surgical bed. His hands never stopped touching my skin and his eyes were so troubled, sad and tears were threatening to fall onto his pale cheeks. He picked up a medical instrument, running it over my face. I could feel the swelling go down around my eye and the pain dissipate. Once he was done, he took my face in his hands. “I’ve been … Bella, I’ve been so worried about you. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari.”_

“I’m okay,” I whispered, weakly touching his hands. I was growing exhausted. The adrenaline was wearing off. “How? How did you find me?”

“Charanel,” he answered, tears leaking out, his fingers tracing down my cheek. He swallowed thickly, staring deeply into eyes.

“How is my brother?” I asked, my heart stammering against my ribs.

“He’s amazing. He’s on the surface, working with Jasper, Data and Kunnan. His mind has healed amazingly. He gave us the way to track the Reman ship. He taught himself how to read and figured it out while I was working with my crew on stabilizing the jump core. We input the information into the _Enterprise_ computer. Then, when we got close enough, we utilized my connection to find you. Additionally, the messages sent from Lianel gave us background information about the ship and its weaknesses. And one of those weaknesses was that when the ship was cloaked, they don’t have any shielding. That’s why we were able to beam aboard and actually cause some significant damage to the ship.”

The doors hissed open. Doctor Bashir entered with Rose on his heels. Doctor Bashir worked on N’essie while Rose began treating me. Edward never left my side, holding my hand while Rose healed my significant wounds. It took nearly six hours and two minor surgeries, performing bone grafts on both of my broken legs. I would have had a permanent limp and constant pain. The grafts would allow me to regain full range of motion. Rose was about ready to strangle Edward since he was under foot during the treatments, but he wouldn’t leave. Once I was finished with my medical treatment, Edward looked at Rose expectantly. “Can I take her back to my quarters?”

“Bella, if you feel any sort of discomfort, contact me or Doctor Bashir immediately. The bone graft on your leg will take nearly three days to take hold. You are to not walk on it until then. Though, I think that Edward won’t let you go and you won’t be leaving your side any time soon,” Rose said, brushing her fingers through my hair. My mate growled, his eyes narrowed at Rose. “Edward, she’s fine. You have to make sure she doesn’t move anywhere. Get a good night’s sleep, both of you. We want you to remain on board so we can have access to the _Enterprise’s_ medical technology. Then, you can transport back down to the surface.”

“We’re back in Cygnarian space?” I asked.

“We’re orbiting Forx,” Rose replied. “Now, do you want us to transport you to your quarters? Or do you want to carry her?”

“Carry her,” Edward said, lifting me into his arms. He gently nuzzled my neck, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “Doctor Bashir, can you arrange for quarters for N’essie?”

“Already done,” Doctor Bashir said, closing his medical tricorder. “She’s resting for now. Once she wakes up, I’ll escort her to her new home.”

Edward nodded, carrying me out of sickbay. He carried me to a large set of quarters two decks up. These were far more lavish than his on the _Volvo._ He moved us through the quarters to the bathroom. Inside there was a large tub. “Computer, fill the bath tub with warm water,” Edward said, his voice sad. He set me atop the counter, removing the medical gown. He ran his hands over my skin. His brow was furrowed and his lips pursed. _I have to make sure you are really here._

 _I’m here,_ ti’ane,I answered, running my fingers through Edward’s soft, thick hair. _I’m exhausted, though. Can we just bathe and then sleep? We can talk more after we wake up._

“I’m sorry, Bella,” Edward whispered. He leaned forward, kissing my lips sweetly. He picked me up, gently placing me into the warm, bubble-filled water. He quickly removed his clothing, slipping in behind me. He tenderly washed my body. He didn’t say anything, just loved me as gently as possible. I was almost asleep when Edward lifted me from the bath. He put on some loose pajamas on my tired body. Once he dressed in a pair pajamas, he carried me to the bed and curled around me.

Just before I slipped into unconsciousness, I asked Edward a question. “These quarters are so much larger than yours on the _Volvo._ Why?”

“Because, I have taken a leave of absence from Galaxy Fleet. These quarters are for visiting dignitaries. I am no longer a captain. I am acting purely as the emperor of Forx,” he answered. “I cannot act as a Galaxy Fleet captain and the emperor. My priority is and always will be you. I love you and it killed me to see you transported away.” He tightened his arms around me. He pressed his lips to mine, gently massaging them and sighing in contentment. “Now, sleep. You’re safe and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way.”

Too tired to reply, I nodded and snuggled further into his warm embrace. My battle staying awake was lost and I succumbed to my exhaustion, protected in the arms of my mate.

**A/N: So? What happens now? Bella is safe, back under the protection of the Federation and her _ti’ane_. Does that mean that the Alliance will give up? What about Jakob? Vruk? Liannette? And who is the council member who is the leader of this rebellion? Lots of unanswered questions, but some resolutions, as well. **

**Pictures for this chapter are on my blogs and tumblr. Links for those are on my profile. You can also find me Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79.**

**Up next will be the reunion of Bella and Charanel, plans for the Alliance, if they should attack and some bonding time with our favorite intergalactic travelers. As always, I’d appreciate some loving!**

_Funoch ~ Alphan insult, pussy_

_Q’tacki ~ Alphan verb, to fuck_

_B’tak ~ Alphan curse, bitch_

 


	15. Chapter 15

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be the reunion of Bella and Charanel, plans for the Alliance, if they should attack and some bonding time with our favorite intergalactic travelers.**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**EPOV**

“Emperor, please come this way,” said Lieutenant Hawk. “Your quarters are located on deck seven.”

“You don’t need to go through any extra trouble,” I said, following him to the quarters that were usually assigned to special guests and dignitaries. I was neither. I was a Galaxy Fleet captain whose vessel was heavily damaged and needed extensive repairs.

_No, you aren’t. Remember? You took a leave of absence from Galaxy Fleet. You fall under the dignitary category, Cullen. You are the leader of the Cygnarian people while Bella is unavailable. Get. Used. To. It._

The conversation I had with my father, explaining my reasoning behind my decision, was not a pleasant one. He reminded me that I had a duty to my crew, and to the Federation. I strongly repeated to him that while Bella was captured by the Alphans and Remans, I was the Emperor of Forx. I couldn’t fulfill both of my duties. It was a conflict of interest. My actions as a Galaxy Fleet captain and as the emperor were drastically different. I would be much more ‘by-the-book’ as a captain, but I needed to the ability to bend the rules as the emperor.

_Anything to get my mate back._

One of those rules that needed to be bent was my personal feelings on murder. I wanted to murder Jakob and the Remans for abducting my mate. I needed to make them pay for their transgressions. I couldn’t very well do that as a Galaxy Fleet captain. I also probably couldn’t do it as the emperor, but I had some more leeway as the latter. Granted, I wanted to maintain my integrity, but I desired the freedom to do what I needed to do to save my mate and my new home.

For Forx was now my home.

No …

Forx wasn’t my home. Bella was. And Bella lived on Forx. Therefore, Forx was my home along with my Bella. And I needed her. Desperately, I needed my mate. I was sick with worry, concerned about what was happening to her at this very moment. I knew she was alive, but in pain. Though, I wasn’t sure if it was my pain or her pain that I was feeling deep within my bones.

A few moments later, Lieutenant Hawk stopped in front of the quarters. I frowned, uncomfortable with my accommodations. My _lavish_ accommodations. “Lieutenant, I don’t need any special considerations.”

“No, sir. Captain Picard said that you are to stay in these quarters since you are on board as the Emperor of Forx,” Hawk replied. “Besides, when the Empress is recovered, we want to ensure her every comfort.”

“You sound positive that we will get her,” I muttered. Lieutenant Hawk gestured to the door, smiling tightly. I shifted my bag on my shoulder, pressing the button and opening the door.

“The data that Prince Charanel provided for us about the Reman vessel and the thalaron radiation trail has been invaluable,” Hawk breathed. “And the intel that was sent to us from the ship has been key in planning this rescue attempt. With that knowledge, I am hopeful that we will be successful. Now, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to contact me or Captain Picard. We will be leaving orbit and joining the fleet in about two hours. We have a few more upgrades to the sensor array we need to attend to before we depart. Captain Data provided us with these enhancements to easier locate the thalaron radiation trails.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” I said. He nodded, turning on his heel and leaving me in my quarters. I sat down, thrusting my hands into my hair and I took few deep breaths. This absence from my mate was taking its toll on me. Each moment that I was separated from Bella made my heart break. I couldn’t eat, sleep or barely even function. I had to stay strong, but it was proving to be a difficult task.

A very difficult task.

Shaking my head, I got up and changed into my _new_ uniform. My Galaxy Fleet uniform would hang in the closet until further notice. I now wore dove gray pants and a navy blue jacket of the Emperor. With the separation of my mate, I was wearing a white sash of mourning draped across my body. Upon my head, I had a simple, but elegant circlet. I still wore my communicator, but I was no longer a part of Galaxy Fleet.

Not for the foreseeable future, at least. My focus was on finding my mate.

Settling into my quarters, I opened up a transmission to the surface. Charanel’s face filled the screen. He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was missing his sister as much as I was. “Have you left yet, Edward?” he asked.

“Not yet, Charanel. We’re leaving in an hour or so. I wanted to see how you were doing?”

“I’m fine. I’ll be happier once my sister is back. Do you think that the information I gave you will help?” Charanel asked, biting his lip.

“With the combination in your way to track the Reman vessel and the information from Lianel sent to Forx about the cloaking devices, it will be most helpful,” I reassured him.

“I needed to do something to make up for the fact that I caused the death of all of those people,” he whispered, a few tears have tracked down his cheeks.

“Charanel, you didn’t have to. It wasn’t your fault,” I soothed. “Norex manipulated you. He was supposed to love you and care for you. What he did was awful and you shouldn’t harbor any guilt. Do you understand me?”

“I do,” he answered sullenly, not really believing what I said. He was betrayed by his family. It would be a long time before he trusted anyone anytime soon. He curled up, burying his nose in his toy that barely left his side. I decided to change tactics and subjects.

“How are your studies going?”

“Very well. Data has been my teacher since we’ve arrived back on the surface. His lessons are challenging and I never knew that I could understand such complexities - quantum theory, advanced jump drive mechanics, literature, scientific theorems – it’s amazing. So many new possibilities,” he breathed. “I look forward to each new lesson and revel in each new challenge.”

“I can imagine,” I said. Charanel worried his lip, clutching his Flotter toy. I knew he was anxious about his sister. “Charanel, we will get Nirabelle back. I promise.”

“I believe you, Edward. Please, be safe, _fei’rene,_ ” Charanel whispered, looking up at me with a child-like innocence. “I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“You won’t lose me,” I replied. “You keep working with Data, Jasper and Kunnan. They are all amazing teachers, especially Jasper. He will teach you how to fight. I pray that we don’t need you to, but I’d rather err on the side of caution. Hail me any time. I will always answer you.”

“Thank you, _fei’rene,_ ” Charanel answered, smiling brightly. “I love you and you come back to me and bring back my sister.” Charanel pressed his hand to his heart before ending the transmission.

Repeating the gesture, I turned off the computer screen, moving to sit on the couch. I was reading the report from Data about the Reman ships tactical capabilities while cloaked. According the information from Lianel, the ship’s shields were not functional while the cloak was engaged gave us a tactical advantage. Data’s information showed us the most vulnerable places to attack, causing the most amount of damage without completely destroying the ship.  However, the thalaron particles gave us the general area of where the ship was, it wasn’t exact. We would be shooting blind.

That’s where I came in. My connection with Bella would work as another sensor array. It would be used to target the Reman ship in addition to allowing me to beam directly to my mate’s location.

“Picard to Cullen,” chirped my communicator.

“This is Cullen,” I replied, tapping my insignia.

“We’re planning on breaking orbit,” Captain Picard said. “Would you like to join me on the bridge?”

“I’ll be there momentarily, Captain,” I answered. “Thank you for letting me know.”

“Understood. Picard out.”

I picked up the tablet with the information about the Reman ship, Charanel’s calculations about the thalaron radiation trail and my mother’s research regarding who attacked first: the Alphans or the Cygnarians. I left my quarters, walking to the _Enterprise_ bridge. Arriving on the bridge, the crew stood up as if I was more important than I felt. Blushing, I sat down next to Captain Picard. “Have you tracked the Reman vessel?”

“According to the astrometric data, they are traveling at high warp. They should be here within eight hours,” Captain Picard answered. “Additionally, there are two Alphan cruisers outside of the _H’Nan_ system. Long range sensors register those along with a few other thalaron signatures that are _not_ that Reman vessel that captured Empress Nirabelle.”

“When are we breaking orbit and joining the fleet?” I asked.

“We’re leaving now and will be arriving within a few hours. Have you had a chance to look at the repairs for the _Volvo_?” Captain Picard asked.

I grimaced. My ship had a laundry list of damages. It wouldn’t be space-worthy for roughly three weeks. It was orbiting Forx while my crew worked tirelessly to make the necessary repairs except for Rosalie. She was on board with me in case Bella needed medical care. It’s not that I didn’t trust their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Julian Bashir, but I wanted someone who knew Bella’s history if she needed medical treatment.

“I can’t believe that we didn’t have a jump core breach. The containment field was barely functional and the matter/antimatter reaction was fluctuating dangerously.”

“At least the _marchesian_ stones that were confiscated from Norex’s private accounts were used for good,” Captain Picard snorted.

“I was shocked that the Council of Elders and the Assembly of Nobles approved the trade to the Federation,” I chuckled anxiously. “Those stones should have been held as evidence against Norex and Liannette. They should not be used to refuel my dilithium matrix. It just seems wrong.”

“You are the Emperor. You could have said no,” Captain Picard smirked. “But, I understand that you were put in a tight pinch. You wanted to act as a Galaxy Fleet captain. As a captain, you’d be forced to say no. As the emperor, you’d be compelled to say yes. I understand why you took a leave of absence from Galaxy Fleet. You couldn’t do your job. Either one.”

I looked at one of my mentors and heroes growing up. He was right, but I was still conflicted. “You didn’t see the disappointment in your father’s eyes, Captain,” I muttered, distinctly remembering my father’s deep frown.

“Edward, your father is so proud of you. He was not disappointed. He knew that it was coming, but he didn’t want to you to have to choose,” Picard whispered, placing his hand on my shoulder. “You have become one of the most decorated captains in Galaxy Fleet history. And you’re barely thirty, receiving numerous commendations and awards. There are cadets in the Academy who joined to work with you. Now, they might not have a chance.”

“I didn’t quit, Jean-Luc,” I said, arching a brow. “I’m just taking some time off. Who knows? I will probably come back. I want to. Forx may be my home now, but I will always want to travel amongst the stars. They call to me.”

“As they call to all of us, Captain,” Picard smiled. Turning to the front of the bridge, he barked, “Lieutenant Hawk, please prepare to break orbit and set course for the Cygnarian fleet.”

“Aye, sir,” Hawk responded. “Jump factor two?”

“Affirmative,” Picard answered. “Engage.” The ship broke orbit, moving away from the planetary system. Once we were clear of Forx and Cygnaria Prime, the engines came to life, hurdling the ship to the fleet at the speed of light. After we determined that the journey was smooth, Captain Picard turned to me. “Would you like to join me in my ready room, Emperor? We can strategize how this rescue mission is going to work.”

I nodded, following him into the spacious room off the bridge. We spent almost the entire journey to the fleet immersed in discussion about how we were going to free my mate. I also knew that Bella’s cousins, Norelle and Lianel, were also on board but their whereabouts were unknown. If I had to hazard a guess; they were probably being held in their ship’s brig or some sort of location that was heavily shielded. The information Lianel was sending surreptitiously came to an abrupt stop two days ago and that’s when we decided to take action.

Arriving at the fleet’s coordinates, Captain Picard and I went back out onto the bridge. Their tactical officer, Commander T’Pel, a Tulurian woman, was scanning for any thalaron trails from the Reman ships or omichron particles from the Alphan ships. With the _Enterprise’s_ long range scanners, we were able to confirm that the ship carrying Bella was traveling at high velocity, heading in our general direction. We did not know if they had picked up on our ships on their sensors. At least, we were going in prepared.

During the attack when we were near _M’ay’aki,_ I was not aware of the tactical power of the Reman ships or their vulnerability. That’s why the _Volvo_ was so heavily damaged. With the sensor readings and replaying the fight with the captains in the Cygnarian system, we found holes and weaknesses in their defenses. We were planning on using that to our advantage in addition to the tactical information provided to us by Lianel.

We stayed in the line, waiting with bated breath. I was anxious, desperate to get my hands on my mate. A low beep caught my attention. “Sir, I have the Reman vessel on long range scanners,” Commander T’Pel said. “It should be here within the hour.”

“I’m going to go back to my quarters to change. Once it’s in transporter range, contact me,” I replied curtly, nodding to Captain Picard. He gave me a reassuring smile. I left the bridge and changed into something more comfortable. I was also going to be armed to the teeth. As I was affixing my comm badge onto my chest, Rose and Dr. Bashir contacted me to join them in sickbay. I left my quarters. In sickbay, I had a neural implant attached to the base of my skull. It was going to be used to enhance the sensors, allowing them to shoot at the Reman ship. It also enhanced my telepathic link to Bella, giving me precise coordinates to her location.

We were working on final tests to ensure it worked properly when Captain Picard contacted me. “Emperor, we are within transporter range. Please go to transporter room two and prepare to be beamed directly to Empress Nirabelle’s location.”

“Understood,” I said. I looked directly at Rose. “Be prepared for anything. You have to make sure she’s alright.”

“I will, Edward. I promise,” she whispered, grasping my hand.

Clenching my jaw, I ran to the transporter room. The neural implant was working and everything was enhanced, not just my telepathic connection to Nirabelle. Easily, I searched through space, finding my mate. She was in a darkened room, wearing a sheer black piece of fabric. She was covered in bruises, cuts and ugly lacerations. She also had a small Reman woman with her, speaking to her. I tapped my communicator. “Cullen to Picard. Do you have the coordinates of the ship?”

“We have the coordinates where we need to beam you,” Captain Picard answered. “Where would you suggest we fire?”

“Aim twelve degrees to starboard,” I said. “From what Lianel sent to me, that’s where the shield generators are located. Knocking those out will disable their cloak and their defensive shielding.”

“Commander T’Pel, set coordinates and fire,” Picard barked over his communicator. “They’ve dropped out of jump speed. Are you ready to beam over?”

I focused my mind to Bella’s. She was exhausted, making me lethargic. _Bella, can you hear me?_ I asked, trying to keep my anxiety out of my mental voice. I failed miserably.

 _I’m here,_ she answered, her voice tired and worn. _Where are you?_

 _I’m in the transporter room of the_ Enterprise _. They are using my brain as a homing beacon, trying to pinpoint your location. Wait! We’ve got a lock. Hold on!_ “Lieutenant, do you have a lock?” I asked again, pleading with the transporter chief.

“Aye, sir,” she barked.

“Energize,” I spat, adjusting my phaser rifle. The transporter pad disappeared and I was in the freezing cold, dark, dank, _smelly_ room where my mate was being held. On a large bed was my mate. She was shivering and tears were tracking down her bruised cheeks. I ran to her, wanting to crush her to my body. “Bella,” I breathed, my hands hovering over her battered form. Tenderly, I gathered her in my arms and every ounce of the separation agony stopped. _I’ve been going mad without you_. She didn’t respond, only weakly holding me.

“Emperor,” came a deep female voice. “You need to go. Take her with you and leave. The alarms are going off.” I snapped my eyes at the Reman woman. Bella explained that N’essie was a slave and wanted to be granted asylum with the Federation. She had been tortured like my mate and proved to be loyal to her. I begrudgingly agreed, beaming the three of us back to the _Enterprise,_ directly into their sickbay. N’essie requested asylum and Dr. Bashir left to get Rosalie. I helped Bella into a hospital gown, covering her carefully. My heart broke at how damaged she appeared to be. Rose came back, obviously pissed off that I wouldn’t leave my mate’s side. Even while she performed surgery on her leg, I refused to move away from her. In my mind, I didn’t trust Rose or anyone else. I had to make sure that she was okay.

I don’t know how long we were in sickbay, but Rose finished her treatments. She informed us that we were in orbit over Forx. I picked up my mate, carrying her to our quarters aboard the _Enterprise_. Inside the large bathroom, I filled up the bathtub and stripped Bella, placing her into the hot water and bubbles. She melted against me, her tiny body exhausted beyond all recognition. I held her closely, nuzzling her soft skin. She was almost asleep when the water had cooled uncomfortably. Remembering how cold that room was, I didn’t want her to get sick. Gently, I picked her up and dressed her in some soft, warm pajamas. I placed her on the bed, changing into a pair of pajamas and curling around her.

“These quarters are so much larger than yours on the _Volvo._ Why?” she mumbled, barely incoherently.

“Because, I have taken a leave of absence from Galaxy Fleet. These quarters are for visiting dignitaries. I am no longer a captain. I am acting purely as the emperor of Forx,” I answered. “I cannot act as a Galaxy Fleet captain and the emperor. My priority is and always will be you. I love you and it killed me to see you transported away.” I held her closely, kissing her lips softly. Surrounding us, I felt a blanket of warmth and safety. I sighed, my body relaxing for the first time since her abduction. “Now, sleep. You’re safe and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way.”

She didn’t respond, humming quietly and snuggled deep in my arms. I brushed her hair away from her pale skin, kissing her forehead before my own eyes drooped heavily. _I love you,_ I whispered mentally before slipping into unconsciousness.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We stayed aboard the _Enterprise_ for a three more days before beaming down to the surface. Bella had a removable cast attached to her leg which received the bone grafting surgery. She also had to use a cane for extra support. Bella’s body had been littered with numerous bruises, cuts and injuries. With Rose’s expert help, they were all gone, save for the deep scars on her wrists. They would take several more treatments with a dermal regenerator before they would be completely gone from her body.

The mental scars were significantly more troublesome. After that first night, Bella insisted she was fine, but as soon as she fell asleep, she’d thrash about with horrific nightmares. When she woke up, she wouldn’t remember them. However, when she had these _berannes_ , I could feel her absolute terror. I thought my heart would stammer against my ribs. The counselor on board, Lieutenant Commander Ezri Dax, Dr. Bashir’s wife, tried to speak to Bella about her ordeal, but she wouldn’t open up about it.

She kept her mouth firmly shut and her fear was spreading through her body like a cancer.

“I am anxious to get back to the Imperial Palace,” Bella said as she dressed in simple navy shift dress with gray leggings. “I miss my brother and my bed.”

“I know that Charanel misses you, too,” I said, buttoning my jacket. “And perhaps sleeping in our bed will alleviate your nightmares.”

“I’m fine, Edward,” she hissed at me, glaring at me. She pinched her nose, a habit she picked up from me. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to snap at you. I’m just …”

“I know, _Fíorghrá,_ ” I whispered. I looked at her sadly, concerned about her pain. “Bella, you need to talk to someone about what happened to you. Despite your stubbornness about being _fine_ , you’re not. You’re barely sleeping and I can feel your anger.”

“I am angry,” she snarled, flopping back onto the bed. “The Remans and Alphans have formed some sort of Alliance, luring the Talaxians and Ferengi into the fold. My aunt is willing to sell us to this Alliance and she wants to assume leadership. She wants to be the empress. I refuse to give her control. They need to pay for their treachery.”

“And they’ll pay,” I vowed, laying down next to her and pulling her into my arms. “Now, let’s spend some time healing as mates and meeting your new and improved brother.” She turned to me, her face softening, smiling sweetly. She blinked up to me, her eyes filled with excitement, happiness and unending love for Charanel. I tucked a stray hair back into her intricate up-do. She sighed, leaning into my hand. “Do you want me to carry you or do you want to walk, _Fíorghrá?_ ”

“I want to walk,” she answered, standing up slowly. She picked up the gnarled wooden cane that Rose replicated for her and she leaned heavily on it. Slowly, she hobbled over to me and wrapped her arm around my waist. I kissed her forehead, slinging my bag over my shoulder. We walked to the transporter room. Captain Picard was waiting for us. Bella stood up tall, walking as gracefully as she could to speak to him. “Thank you, Captain, for finding me and providing N’essie with protection from her Reman captors. What happened to the Reman vessel?”

“It was heavily damaged. They limped back to Alphan territory with the rest of their motley crew,” Captain Picard answered. “They had a lot casualties.”

“Who?” Bella asked.

“We don’t know for certain,” he replied.

 _I was hoping that Jakob, Liannette and Vruk were destroyed in the attack,_ Bella thought to me. A flash of extreme anger came through our connection, followed by sadness for her cousins. _When will this end?_

“It will end soon, _Fíorghrá._ I promise you. This Alliance will not continue to grow,” I vowed, walking to stand next to her. “Captain, we truly appreciate your assistance in the rescue mission.” Captain Picard shook my hand. He gave Bella a gallant kiss to her hand before we clambered onto the transporter pad. “Please transport us into the throne room.”

“Understood, Emperor,” said the transporter chief. “Energizing.” Bella threaded her fingers with mine and the tingle of the transporter emanated from our bellies. We arrived in the throne room, standing in front of Maralice, Jasper, the Council of Elders and Charanel. Bella had stiffened when she looked at the council members.

 _What is it?_ I asked.

 _One of the council members is in charge of the coup. They approved Norex and Liannette’s treasonous actions. They want us to join the Alliance. One of those_ Q’nanis _sold me to Crown Prince Jakob!_ Bella answered. Her face was impassive but her thoughts were tumultuous.

“Empress,” Counselor Marcusi smiled, walking toward us. “We are so happy that you are back.”

“Thank you,” she replied, nodding at him. “It’s good to be back home. However, I’m exhausted and I want to spend time with my family. We will discuss our plans for the Alliance and the research that Captain Cullen uncovered tomorrow.” She gripped her cane, glaring at the rest of the council members.

 _Stay calm, Bella,_ I ordered. _We don’t want them to know that we suspect one of them._

 _I know,_ she answered, her voice exhausted. The anger dissipated from her face. The pain was etched onto her skin and her eyes were foggy with fatigue. “If you don’t mind, I need to rest.”

“Take all of the time you need, Empress,” Counselor Marcusi nodded. He gestured to the council chamber and the three of them left.

Charanel seemed to be vibrating in his skin. Bella looked at him, tears brimming in her blue eyes. He looked the same, but his eyes were bright and inquisitive. I took Bella’s hand, looping it through my arm and helping her to Charanel. Once we were close enough, he beamed, gathering his sister in his arms. I smiled softly, stepping back to allow them to reunite.

“He was so happy that she was recovered,” Maralice whispered. “He wanted to beam to the _Enterprise_ as soon as he found out that you had gotten her _,_ but he was needed on the surface to analyze the most recent data about the Reman vessel. Charanel discovered thalaron radiation trails. He’s now working on counteracting thalaron radiation poisoning and stopping its destructive properties.” She turned and smiled at me. “Why don’t the three of you go into Bella’s suite? Just enjoy the time, bonding as a family. Tomorrow, we have a lot to discuss about the Alliance. I’ll keep them at bay.”

“Thanks, Maralice,” I said, patting her back. Guiding them into our suite, I locked the door. Charanel and Nirabelle were enfolded in a tight embrace. Nodding slightly, I left them to reacquaint themselves. I slipped into our bedroom, deciding to work on interpreting the data about attack on the Reman ships. I also wanted to determine who was behind the coup. Norex, Liannette and the rest of the nobles were puppets. A council member was the catalyst.

But who? Which one ultimately betrayed his people?

“Edward?” called Charanel. He was holding a sleeping Bella. “She fell asleep mid-sentence. She said that she hasn’t been sleeping well. _Berannes_.” I gestured to her bed, pulling back the comforters. He placed her into sheets, caressing her cheek. “I’m not telepathically linked to her, but I know she is deeply troubled.”

“I know, but she won’t talk to anyone,” I sighed, watching my sleeping mate. I bent down removing her cast and placing her swollen foot onto a pile of pillows.

“She was the same way when our father died. She bottled it up inside for months. When she finally crashed, it was not pretty,” Charanel grimaced. “She tried to hurt herself.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at my brother-in-law.

“She took an overdose of medications. It wasn’t a lethal dose, but enough to cause concern. Maralice found her,” Charanel frowned. “It was only after that she spoke with Tal, Kunnan’s wife and psychologist.”

“Will Tal be willing to talk to her again?”

“She was resistant at first, but when she started her sessions with Tal, I noticed a difference. Even with my deficits, I recognized the change,” Charanel murmured. He leaned down, kissing Bella’s cheek. Smoothing his tunic, he gave me troubled grin. “I’m going to have my lesson with Captain Data. Contact me if she wakes up. I want to talk her some more.” He looked down at his sister once more before leaving our suite hastily.

_What happened?_

More troubling was the fact that Bella had taken medication, an overdose because she was upset at her death of her father. _Why didn’t I know this?_ I frowned, crawling into the bed with her and curling around her. She sighed, pressing her head to my chest. I just held her, running my hand through her curls and providing her with comfort that she desperately desired.

An hour into her nap, Bella began whimpering. She began babbling in Cygnarian. I understood most of what she said. Her most clear ramblings were names from her ordeal. With a scream, she sat up and clawed at her dress. “DON’T TOUCH ME! I’M NOT YOURS!”

“Bella,” I said, taking her into my arms. She fought me, hitting my chest and sobbing hysterically. _Listen to me, Bella. You are safe. No one will hurt you. Please, calm down, Fíorghrá._ I gathered her in my arms, holding her so tightly. She eventually stopped squirming, collapsing in my arms. Her mind was replaying a brutal session of torture. When she realized where she was, Bella opened her eyes and shuddered. “You with me?”

“I’m f…” she began, but quickly stopped when she saw the stern look on my face. “Okay, I’m not fine.”

“You’re not,” I whispered. “I can feel every ounce of your pain, Nirabelle. Don’t shut me out. Don’t push away your friends, your family.”

 _You know,_ she whispered mentally, tears brimming in her ice blue eyes. _It was a momentary lapse, Edward. I was in a dark place. I was being pulled in so many directions with the death of my father, assuming leadership of Forx and dealing with Norex. I just wanted the pain to stop._

“By taking pills?” I asked.

“I was at wits end,” she choked out, a few tears slipping down her pale cheeks. “Tal helped me, but it was scrutinized that I was crazy and ill-equipped to handle the responsibilities of ruling my people. That’s when Norex first started his complaints about me.”

“Bella, you need to take care of yourself. Some of your injuries are external, like the bone graft and the scars. The rest are inside and despite the lack of physical scars, they need tending just as badly as the physical ones,” I soothed. “Please talk to Tal.”

“I don’t know. It’s all so fresh,” Bella frowned.

“Bella, you forced me to deal with the loss of Victoria. It was your love and your patience that brought me back. Now, it’s my turn. I know that I am not capable of providing you with the help you need, but there is someone here that can with Tal,” I murmured, taking her hands in mine.

“Will you be there with me?” she asked, her voice quaking slightly.

“Every step of the way,” I vowed.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We spent the rest of the evening in our suite. Charanel stayed with us, talking with both of us about his lessons and his excitement about learning new and exciting things. Bella was happy for her brother, but she was distant and tired. She eventually fell asleep in the arms of Charanel and stayed there all night, without any nightmares. I was grateful that she got a good night’s sleep with her brother. She needed it desperately.

Early the next day, Tal and Kunnan came over to give Bella an assessment. I left them to care for my mate while I sat in on Charanel’s lessons with Jasper and Data. Jasper sparred with him, teaching him some deadly fighting tactics. After the sparring session, Data and I worked with Charanel with interpreting astrometric surveys, advanced jump theory and lessons in diplomacy.

Just like his sister, Charanel was a natural at being a leader. He had a quiet confidence and was fair in each of the scenario he was presented. The one thing he was hesitant to do was ruffle anyone’s feathers. If it was a territory dispute or something where there was a conflict, he always tried to make both of them happy. Unfortunately, in diplomacy, someone almost always loses or has to concede something. He looked to me for guidance since I was his instructor those activities and he listened intently when I explained why I would do what I do.

We were breaking for a late lunch when Kunnan escorted Bella into the large school room. Her pale skin was tinged pink and her eyes were puffy, but her emotions surging underneath were calm. _Are you alright, Bella_? I asked.

 _Not at the moment, but I will be,_ she answered giving me a warm, loving smile. “Charanel, Kunnan is going to take you to lunch with Maralice. I need Commander Whitlock and Captain Data to join me and the Emperor in the conference room. We have much to discuss regarding the Remans and the Alliance.”

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

“I’m not really hungry,” she answered, clutching to her cane. _My stomach is unsettled from the pain medication and this morning was rough. Let’s get through this meeting and then we’ll eat in the privacy of our own suite. I feel like I’m being watched like a_ ginuck _._

 _What’s that?_ I asked, arching a brow.

 _A large rodent with leathering wings. They feed on carcasses,_ she answered, wrinkling her nose. Her mind filled of a bat, about the size of a vulture or a hawk. “Charanel, will you be okay?”

“I want to sit in on those discussions, Nirabelle,” Charanel argued, his brow furrowing. “I want to know what’s going on. I do not have the mind of a child anymore. I want to help.”

“I think that Charanel has a point,” Jasper said, clasping his hand on Charanel’s shoulder. “It was his unique sensor configuration that allowed us to track the thalaron emissions from the Reman vessels. You may provide a new insight, Charanel.”

“Thank you, Jasper,” Charanel murmured, giving my first officer a shy grin.

“Okay,” I said. “Kunnan, thank you for helping Bella here. If there is anything else, we’ll contact you.”

“Of course, Emperor,” Kunnan replied, nodding his head. He turned on his heel, leaving the classroom.

I moved to stand next to my mate, looping her arm through mine. She leaned heavily on me, pressing her cheek to my bicep. We all walked through the maze of the Imperial Palace to the conference room just off of my office. The Council of Elders were assembled along with the representative from the Assembly of Nobles. My father, mother and sister were seated next to Captain Picard and Captain Riker. Maralice and D’Metri were standing on either side of the ornate chairs at the head of the table. I helped Bella to sit down, kissing her temple. _Any pain?_

 _I’m okay. For now,_ she answered, giving me a wry grin. “Thank you, everyone, for your combined efforts in returning me back to my people. I am in the debt of the Federation and forever grateful,” she said regally.

“We’re all happy that there was a positive outcome, Empress,” Dad answered. “We thank you for the _marchesian_ stones needed to replenish the dilithium in the _U.S.S. Volvo_.”

“From what I’ve been told, they were not being used and my mate, Emperor Edward, made the decision,” Bella replied, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “Whatever the Federation needs, we are willing to provide.”

“Thank you,” Dad smiled, nodding solemnly. “Now, my wife and daughter have information regarding the beginnings of this war. Esme?”

My mom smiled, standing up and turning on a view screen. “With the help of Ang’ele, we were able to decipher a great deal of the ancient scrolls and texts from early in your history. There were a great deal of inaccuracies, but we were able to construct a timeline of events leading up to the first attack on Forx. However, the aliens that took their first step on your planet were not the Alphans. It was the Remans.”

“Are you certain?” Bella asked.

“We found this drawing in a long-abandoned scrapbook in the depths of the National Archives,” Mom said, pulling up a crude drawing of a Reman. The similarities to the Alphans were clear, but it was a Reman. The lack of hair and the yellow eyes indicated the massive differences. It was the long-standing war that tainted the perception of the aliens that attacked initially.

My mother continued, pointing to an intricate graphic on the projection screen. “And it fits the timeline. The Remans had harnessed jump capabilities around the same time that Turulians did and they were in search of the ore to power their engines. It correlates with carbon dating of the scrolls, roughly a thousand years ago. They had found the ore in abundance on Cygnaria Prime and on Forx. That’s why they started transporting down to the planet’s surface. However, the Cygnarians fought back and the Remans stopped coming, presumably. I would assume that they wanted to find the ore closer to home from a location that was not as inhospitable.”

“That’s where the Alphans come into play,” Elizabeth chimed in. “According to their history, the Remans found their planet as a happenstance. They found, on their long-range scanners, proof that the ore needed to fuel their engines was on Lapus. It was a small amount, but enough to begin their manipulation of the Alphans. The Alphans were just beginning space travel, but had not been able to move faster than the speed of light. The Remans helped the Alphans fine-tune their ships and soon they were able to travel great distances, but their way of doing so was much cruder than the Reman’s method. They weren’t able to travel as fast and the matter/antimatter reaction was toxic. A lot of Alphans died in the inception of their long-term space missions. Since then, things have not really improved either.”

“The power source for their ships now runs their entire planet and that’s why it’s dying. Not to mention, all of the natural resources are nearly gone and dead,” Mom frowned. “The Remans helped the Alphans in their downfall and the Alphans are too blinded to realize it.”

“Be that is it may, they are not innocent as you claim,” Bella snapped, glaring at my mother and her spots glowing a deep, angry red. “The Remans may have struck first, but the Alphans continued the fight for centuries.”

“This is true. They were brainwashed to believe that you were the enemy, preventing them from getting what they needed to finish their fleet,” Elizabeth said, bringing up an Alphan file. “The Remans have been playing the Alphans since they first set foot on Lapus. However, according to our research, they took a step back about two hundred years ago. It’s unsure why they did, but this recent reappearance of the Remans indicates that they are desperate for this ore for the thalaron reaction in their jump core. And it’s located here and on Cygnaria Prime.”

“What about this Alliance?” Bella asked, her brows furrowing. “Have you verified its existence?”

“We have,” Dad answered. “It’s poorly organized and based on governments that were overthrown, similar to how Norex and Liannette tried to do.” He tapped his tablet, sending the information onto the screen. “The Remans and Alphans are the strongest among the members. Though, the Alphans are well on their way to extinction based on what I’ve read from Rose’s and Julian’s medical reports.”

 _Edward, we need to continue this conversation but without the Council of Elders,_ Bella thought to me. _I’m not sure if they know if we’re aware of their involvement._

 _I agree,_ I nodded. _Pretend you don’t feel well and I’ll put an end to the meeting, asking the Federation personnel to join us in the conference room of the_ Volvo.

 _And Senator J’ran, too,_ Bella said, blinking at the representative from the Assembly of Nobles. _He’s trustworthy. He was a close friend of my father. Norex pushed him out of his seat when I assumed leadership, claiming that he had the right to be in the Assembly and not him. I don’t know why, but I’m grateful to see him._ She bit her lip, leaning against my heavily. “Edward … I don’t feel well.”

I caressed her cheek and was surprised to feel her skin to be clammy and very warm. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I think I need to get Nirabelle back to our suite for some rest. This is the most she’s done since she’s been released from sickbay.”

“Of course,” Mom said, looking worriedly at my mate.

I helped Bella to her feet and we left the conference room. Once we were safely in our suite, I quickly sent a communique to the Federation personnel and Senator J’ran to meet up at the Volvo at 1700 hours. I asked them to be discreet when they left. We had a few hours before our meeting with my coworkers and family. “Edward,” Bella murmured, curling up on my chest. “All of this is so much.”

“I know, _Fíorghrá,_ ” I whispered, wrapping my arms around body. “What can I do for you?”

“Make it all go away. Just for a moment,” she pleaded, looking up at me with her innocent but sexy doe eyes. “I know it’s not the most ideal time, but I need to feel you. On a daily basis, Jakob told me how he was going to …” _Make me yours. Remind me of our love. Please?_

“Always, Bella,” I said, scooping her in my arms. She immediately sought out my lips, kissing me deeply as I carried her into our bedroom. “Computer, please lock the door and inform everyone that we are to not be disturbed until after our meeting aboard the Volvo.” The computer chirped lowly in acknowledgment.

Carefully, I placed her on the bed. She moved so she was on knees, her fingers tangling into my hair. She stared at me, her eyes boring into mine. _Help me remember the feeling of warmth, love, safety, protection …_

“Until my dying breath, Bella,” I vowed, taking her face into my hands. I gently traced her delicate features. She moaned, her eyes fluttering shut and leaning into my touch. I barely caressed her skin. Her hands moved from my hair, reaching to my jacket and unbuttoning the lightweight wool. She pushed the jacket over my shoulders and it fell from my body. I gripped the hem of her dress, lifting it off her slender, lithe body. Bella threaded her fingers behind my neck and pulled me toward the mattress. I fell forward, caging her. My lips found the soft, fragrant spot behind her ear. She whimpered, her legs wrapping around my waist.

 _Please, touch me, Edward_ , she pleaded, her fingers gliding along my jaw. I kissed her lips sweetly, my hands moving along her bare torso, reveling in the smoothness of her pale skin. Her spots simmered, calling for my hands. I licked my lips, tracing every spot. Bella moaned, arching her back closer to me. I lay next to her. My hand caressed every inch of her flesh. “Edward …” she panted, looking at me hungrily. _More._

I kissed her lips, tasting her sweetness. My fingers reached the waistband of her leggings. Gently, I tugged them off her body. She was bare for me, wet and wanting. “What do you want from me, _Fíorghrá?_ ”

“Make love to me,” she whispered. “I want to feel you everywhere.”

“I will, Bella,” I said, leaning down to kiss her soft, pliant lips. I moved my mouth down her body. Using my tongue, I tasted every inch of her skin. Her fingers threaded into my hair, tugging on the strands painfully. My fingers find her wetness between her legs. I massaged her soaked folds, surprised at how wet she was. She did need me. She needed us. Her tiny fingers moved from my hair to my face. Her eyes were pleading, yearning for us. I made quick work of my pants, sliding them down my legs. Her hand wrapped around my hardness, stroking me gently and slowly.

“Edward, please,” she moaned, kissing my lips. I moved between her legs, lining up my erection with her needy sex. I looked up to her glowing blue eyes. “Love me, _ti’ane._ ” I pushed inside of her, feeling our connection surround us. I felt the warmth of our love push us closer and closer together. Bella’s mind was finally at peace since I pulled her from that dank, freezing room. I began thrusting inside of her. Bella stared into my eyes, loving shining through her glowing, electric blue irises. “Closer. I need you closer, Edward.”

I kissed her deeply, gathering her in my arms. I sat up, holding her against my chest. I kept pumping within her as she hovered in the cradle of my legs. She whimpered, burying her nose into my neck. I knew she was looking where we joined, seeing that we were one. _I’m not going anywhere, Fíorghrá. I will do everything to keep you safe and protect Forx. Look at me._ She blinked up at me, seeing that I was not lying. Her spots glowed the most beautiful white, lighting up the room with evidence of our strong connection. Every inch of my skin was on fire, being licked with the most exquisite feeling I’d ever felt. From our telepathic link, I knew that Bella was feeling the same thing, but on a much grander scale.

“Edward!” she shouted, her head falling back as her body trembled with an all-encompassing orgasm. With each beat of her heart, her orgasm pulsed through her, causing mine to erupt almost savagely. My own skin luminesced and clung to her, holding her to body as our hearts beat as one. We stayed connected as long as we could. Bella stayed in my arms with her muscles clinging to my now softening erection that was still inside. I nuzzled her hair, mentally repeating that I loved that I would do everything to protect, love and cherish her. She pulled back, staring into my eyes and brushed my sweaty hair from my forehead. _I finally feel complete. For the first time in nearly a week and half, I don’t feel disconnected and lost. I feel protected._

“That’s because you are, _Fíorghrá,_ ” I murmured, encasing her in both my arms and legs. She sighed contentedly, burrowing my nose against my chest. We stayed entwined together until Bella’s stomach snarled. “Come on, love. Let’s get cleaned up and eat some dinner before transporting up to the _Volvo_.”

We took a long, luxurious bath and ate a meal that Bella said was her favorite growing up. It was similar to macaroni and cheese, with some spicy sausage and green vegetables that reminded me of asparagus. After devouring nearly all of the meal, we transported up to the _Volvo._

Jasper was waiting for us with Rose, Maralice and Emmett. “Welcome aboard, Emperor and Empress,” he said smoothly, giving us the standard Cygnarian greeting. It was clumsy, but he was trying. I also noticed that on his uniform, he had been promoted to Captain. The _Volvo_ was no longer my ship. It was Jasper’s, it seemed.

“Captain,” I smirked, looking at my former first officer. “When did this happen?”

“When we came up here, your father felt that the _Volvo_ needed a captain. Repairs are happening faster than we anticipated and we need this ship if we are to engage the Remans and the Alphans. It feels wrong to take your command, Edward,” he frowned. “I may not have shown it, but you are an amazing leader and one of the best captains I’ve served under. I hope that you do come back. I would be honored to serve with you again.”

“Only time will tell, Captain Whitlock,” I smirked. “Who knows? I may get a bigger, _better_ ship.”

“Challenge accepted, sir,” Jasper chuckled, shaking my hand and leading me to the conference room off the bridge. “We’re just waiting for Senator J’ran. He should be arriving any moment.”

“Excellent,” I answered, sitting down at the head of the table with Bella next to me. She threaded her fingers with mine, looking more at peace than ever before. A few moments later, Emmett and Garrett escorted Senator J’ran into the conference room, sitting down across from Maralice, who was seated to the right of my mate. The rest of the Federation personnel entered, sitting down at the table, with my father at the opposite end. “Thank you for indulging our request in meeting up here.”

“I have to ask why?” Senator J’ran questioned, arching a brow. “Since I’ve been in the dark to all of this, honestly. When I was invited back to the Assembly of Nobles after Norex’s death, I still haven’t caught up on everything that has happened.”

“We believe that the one of the council members is the person in charge of this coup d’état,” I explained. “Norex was the public face of opposition, but when Bella was in the captivity aboard the Reman vessel, she heard one of the council member’s voices. Norelle confirmed that a council member was in charge, but she didn’t know which one.”

“The Council is ingrained in the past. The only one who is forward thinking is Marcusi. Aro and Caius are firmly entrenched in the time from Emperor Ryette. They want to sit on their laurels, praying that the Alphans would give up their attacks. Your father, Nirabelle, wanted to put an end to this war, once and for all. He wanted to actively fight the Alphans,” Senator J’ran said, tenting his hands. “What do need me to do?”

“You’re on board for this?” Bella asked, her eyes twinkling with hope.

“Nirabelle, your father was my best friend. I grieved for him more than the loss of my father. He was the witness for my mating ceremony and was the guardian for my children. I want to help you. I want to put the people responsible for the death of the Emperor and selling you to Jakob. Whatever you need, I’m willing to do,” Senator J’ran breathed.

With Senator J’ran’s vow, I felt the scales tip in our favor.

**A/N: What do you think of Senator J’ran? Is he a good guy or a bad guy? Leave me your opinions, please.**

**Also, I do apologize for the lack of updates. If you are a part of my Facebook group, you know that I’m going through some personal issues. My mother is _very_ sick and I’m struggling with finding my mojo and time to write. This update took almost a month to write. **

**You can find some pervy pic teasers on my tumblr. Link for that is on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and twitter: tufano79. I’d appreciate some loving and some prayers for my mom. Thanks!**


	16. Chapter 16

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**BPOV**

“So, where do we go from here?” Edward asked. “As far as we know, the Alphans and Remans are licking their wounds, repairing the damage to their ships.”

“We shouldn’t sit back. We need to prepare for a fight,” Jasper replied, leaning forward on the conference table. “Admiral, are we getting anymore back up from the Federation?”

“We are expecting another ten star ships and fifteen war ships,” Admiral Cullen replied, reading from his tablet. “They should be here within a week or so. The available engineers from the ships in orbit are working on the Cygnarian fleet to retrofit them with sensors to accurately locate the Reman vessels. We have half of the ships surrounding the planet done and the others are being completed as we speak.”

“What about the Imperial Fleet?” Senator J’ran asked.

I furrowed my brow. “What’s that?” I replied.

Senator J’ran scrubbed his face, muttering under his breath. “The Emperor, or in your case, the Empress, has a highly trained fleet of fighters to protect the planet. Didn’t the Council of Elders tell you about this?”

“No,” I growled. _More proof that the Council is behind this, Edward._ He nodded imperceptibly. “How many ships are in this Imperial Fleet and how do I mobilize them?”

“There are over four hundred attack fighters and three war ships,” Senator J’ran said, walking to the computer console on the wall of the conference room. He punched in a few commands and the cliffs overlooking the Renien Ocean appeared. “This cliff face is a holographic projection. Your Imperial Fleet is located inside. Well, the attack fighters. The larger war ships are on Cygnarian Prime, hidden in the subterranean tunnels.”

“How do you know about them?” Edward asked, his skepticism ringing through our connection.

“I was the Wing Commander of the Imperial Fleet until I was forced into retirement five years ago,” Senator J’ran answered, rubbing his left arm. “I was injured in a border skirmish and I couldn’t fight as well, hand-to-hand. I joined the Assembly of Nobles shortly after that and stayed until your father’s death, when your uncle strong armed me out of my seat, claiming it was his.”

“Can he do that?” Rose asked, arching a brow. “Isn’t there some sort of election?”

“In theory,” Senator J’ran chuckled darkly. “Each continent on Forx is divided into roughly twenty smaller districts. A noble represents the districts. For the most part, the nobles have a legacy that keeps them in power. If there is no heir, then there is an election and a new noble is chosen. That’s what happened when I got my spot in the Assembly. Senator To’mas, who was the noble who lived in the Imperial City, died in his sleep and he didn’t have an heir. I ran and I won his spot. When Emperor Charel died, Norex raised holy hell, saying that he should be a part of the Assembly of Nobles, representing the Imperial family, despite Empress Nirabelle ruling Forx.”

“And the Assembly of Nobles let him waltz in?” Edward asked, his anger showing in his face. His skin was glistening in sweat and his cheeks were a subtle pink.

“Norex can be quite _persuasive_ ,” Senator J’ran said, his bright green eyes narrowing. “He convinced the Assembly to have a special election between the two of us. I was voted out because I was a widowed man. My children were killed in an Alphan attack. Norex has a litter of children.”

 _He lost his children?_ Edward thought to me. _Didn’t he say …?_

 _My father was the guardian to his children, until the attack on their home, just outside of the Imperial capital,_ I said, threading my fingers with Edward’s.

“With Norex’s untimely demise, you were asked back?” Rose asked, smirking.

“More like begged,” Senator J’ran laughed. “He apparently wasn’t the easiest man to work with. It was also due to his role in the takeover, too. I was a trusted advisor to your father, Nirabelle. The loyalty I have for him has carried on to you. I may not be a warrior or the Wing Commander of the Imperial Fleet, but I will do everything in my power to protect you from this Alliance, Nirabelle.”

“Thank you, Senator J’ran,” I said, nodding to him gratitude. “Now, I have a strange request. I want to see this fleet. These war ships and attack fighters. Captain Whitlock, can you fly us to Cygnaria Prime?”

“Of course, Empress,” he answered. “We can break orbit now.”

“Please, Captain,” I replied.

“Whitlock to Riley. Please break orbit and set course to Cygnaria Prime,” Jasper said professionally, but cordially.

“Understood, sir. Full impulse?” Riley asked.

“Affirmative,” Jasper answered. “Engage.”

The _Volvo_ gracefully broke orbit and flew the short distance to Cygnaria Prime. “Empress, why don’t the Cygnarians live on Cygnaria Prime?” asked Admiral Cullen.

“I don’t know very much, but many, many centuries ago. Even before the attacks from the Remans and Alphans, we did live on Cygnaria Prime. However, something happened where all of the water began evaporating from the surface. The atmosphere was dissipating. The Cygnarians worked to move us to Forx, since it was able to support life. We had a colony there, located near the Imperial City. Almost all of the Cygnarians left Cygnaria Prime before the atmosphere completely dissipated. There were few hundred that remained stayed in the subterranean tunnels, behind specialized force fields,” I explained. “I’ve never been to Cygnaria Prime. My father felt that it was too dangerous for me. Aside from housing the Imperial Fleet that I didn’t know about, there is also a maximum security prison for our deadliest, most vile criminals.”

“Why didn’t you send Norex there?” Admiral Cullen asked.

 _Ugh, my father can’t get over the fact that we executed Norex. It’s against his every belief!_ Edward thought to me, shooting a sharp look to his father.

“Norex was vile, vindictive and cruel, but his crime of treason justifies his punishment,” I said coldly. “Nothing you can say will change my opinion. He deserved death. Staying on Cygnarian Prime in the prison would have been too easy for him. I know the Federation’s belief on execution, but I will not have my decision questioned again.” I shot up, gripping my cane and hobbling out of the conference room. I could hear Edward chastising his father, his anger radiating through our connection. I left the bridge, going to the quarters I’d stayed in when I was on board initially.

I collapsed on the couch, putting my bad leg onto the table. It had started to hurt while we were in the meeting. The deep bone pain throbbing through my leg was debilitating. I blew out a breath, trying to ignore the pain. A few moments later, my door chimed. “Enter,” I called.

Senator J’ran and my brother walked in, each with looks of concern. “Are you okay, Nirabelle?” Charanel asked, sitting down next to me and taking my hand.

“I’m fine …” I muttered. Charanel arched a brow, looking like my father with a touch of Edward thrown in. “Okay, I’m not. I’m grateful for the help that the Federation has offered us, but I hate that my decision to execute Norex is being questioned at every turn. From what I understand, treason is one of the crimes that the Federation utilizes execution as the punishment.”

“It is, Nirabelle,” Charanel answered. “It’s more of a personal belief with Edward’s father.”

“I agree, Empress,” Senator J’ran nodded. “He personally doesn’t believe in the death penalty and he’s trying to foist his belief on you.”

“Well, it’s not going to change. When I capture Liannette, she will meet the same fate as her husband,” I snapped. “Not to mention the Elder who is backing this takeover.” Both of them nodded in agreement. I looked at Senator J’ran. “Do you have any guesses of who it is?”

“Aro or Caius,” Senator J’ran said. “Marcusi genuinely cares for you like a daughter. I spoke with him prior to your mating ceremony and he was pleased that you had such a strong connection with Edward.”

“It’s not his voice,” I replied, shifting on the couch. “It had a rich, deep timbre. Marcusi’s voice is too high and almost pinched-sounding.” I rubbed at my leg as the nerves reconnected, causing pain to radiate up my entire side.

“Are you okay, Nirabelle? Is your leg in pain?” Charanel asked, jumping up. “Do you need your pain medication?”

“That stuff makes me loopy,” I frowned. “Yes, my leg doesn’t hurt, but I’m an incoherent mess. I’d rather not have any until after we’ve seen the war ships.”

“You need something, Nirabelle,” Senator J’ran chided gently. “Don’t be stubborn like your father. Take a mild pain killer, okay?”

“Fine,” I said, getting up from my spot. I picked up the hypospray, sliding in a milder version of the pain medication inside. I pressed it to my neck, injecting it into my bloodstream. The pain didn’t go away, but it was dulled. “How long until we arrive at Cygnaria Prime?”

“Three hours,” Senator J’ran answered. Clumsily, I walked back to my perch on the couch and curled up. “Empress, forgive me for saying so, but I have a feeling that you don’t trust me.”

“Right now, I’m not sure who to trust,” I grumbled, grimacing that he had figured out that I had trepidations about him. Edward felt the same way about Senator J’ran, but he was more optimistic. However, he was not held against his will for nearly a week, being tortured and threatened on an hourly basis. “I know you were close with my father. I remember playing with your daughter before …” I trailed off.

“She thought you were the nicest person she’d ever met. You were so kind to her even though she was so much younger than you,” Senator J’ran said, his smile wistful.

“J’ranne had an old soul and a quick wit,” I remembered.

“That she did,” Senator J’ran murmured, sitting forward. His eyes misted and he hastily wiped his cheeks as tears spilled down his face. “I know that you are very hesitant to trust people outside of your circle, but I assure you that I want this to be solved and _resolved_ as soon as possible. The nobles who worked in concert with Norex and Liannette have been replaced with nobles who support you unconditionally, overjoyed that we are a part of the Federation. We will figure out which Elder is leading the charge and we will put an end to this conflict once and for all.” He blinked up at me and gave me a warm smile. “I understand that you need time to see that I am trustworthy, but I will do everything in my power to prove to you that I am with you. Just like I was with your father.”

“Thank you, Senator J’ran,” I said, giving him an appreciative smile. “Please don’t be upset if it takes longer for me to believe you. I’m hesitant to let another into our bubble of trust.”

“You’ve had enough people betray you, Nirabelle. From a man who held you when you were a baby, I vow to you that I will not be another to be cause for your concern. I am with you, Charanel and Edward until this war is over. I pray to the gods that it is sooner rather than later,” he said, squeezing my hand.

“Thank you,” I choked out.

“Now, I’m going to let you be. The Emperor should be here momentarily. I want to contact the new Wing Commander, informing her of our arrival. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to contact me,” Senator J’ran said, getting up. He nodded at Charanel, giving him the standard Cygnarian greeting before leaving my quarters.

“Bella,” Charanel said, using my nickname, “why don’t you take a nap? You look dead on your feet. We’ve got several hours before we arrive at Cygnaria Prime.”

“I can’t sleep,” I whispered. “The nightmares come if I sleep.”

“Are they still bad?” Charanel asked.

“I close my eyes and I see Jakob, Vruk and Liannette. The three of them had their way with me and it will be a long time before I sleep without thinking of them first,” I chuckled humorlessly. “Can you check to see where Edward is? He keeps the nightmares at bay.”

“Sure, Bella,” Charanel answered, leaning over to kiss my forehead. He left my quarters and returned fifteen minutes later with my mate. Edward gently picked me up, carrying me to the bedroom and curling around my body. With the soothing sounds of his heartbeat, I drifted off to sleep and for the first time since my abduction, I didn’t have nightmares.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

When I woke up, I was still in the arms of my mate, my _ti’ane_. I checked the time on the computer and was shocked that it was early the following morning. “Edward, wake up,” I whispered, poking his side. “We’ve been asleep too long.”

“No, it’s okay,” he mumbled sleepily. “By the time we arrived at Cygnaria Prime, it was late. After discussing it with Senator J’ran and Wing Commander Bree Ta’erre, we decided to wait until this morning. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t have the heart to wake you. It was the first deep sleep you’ve had since we rescued you.” _Don’t be upset with my decision. You needed this, Bella._

“You’re right, Edward. I was exhausted. I still am, to an extent, but I feel more at peace for the first time since I was taken,” I smiled, snuggling closer to Edward’s warm chest. “When are we going to transport to the surface?”

“Probably in a couple of hours. So, we can go back to sleep,” he said, nuzzling my neck and holding me close. I chuckled lowly, rubbing my fingers over his muscular back and allowing his clean, fresh scent surround me. I must have dozed off because the chime of the door woke me back up. Edward groaned, getting up from the bed and padding through the quarters. “Who is it?”

“It’s Captain Whitlock,” Jasper answered. Edward pressed the button to open the door. “We are preparing an away team to head down to the surface, sir.”

“We’ll meet you at transporter room one, Jasper. We’ll be down there in fifteen minutes,” Edward replied.

“Understood.” Jasper turned on his heel, leaving our quarters.

Edward walked back to the bedroom. I was already picking out something to wear, preparing to go into the sonic shower. Edward’s arms banded around my waist, kissing my neck. “You ready to see your war ships, Bella?”

“It’s what I’ve always dreamed of,” I said dryly. “Do you think that these ships will tip the war in our favor?”

“It all depends on their tactical abilities. Now, let’s check this all out,” Edward said, helping me to the sonic shower. We got dressed, walking to transporter room one. My leg was getting stronger. I decided to leave my cane in the quarters, using my mate. However, I was much more confident on my feet.

We arrived at the transporter room. Charanel was there along with Senator J’ran, Captain Whitlock and Admiral Cullen. Admiral Cullen was acting nervous, anxious. _What’s up with your dad, Edward?_

 _I had a long talk with him about keeping his opinions about your decision executing Norex to himself,_ Edward explained, his fingers threaded with mine. _I know he’s going to apologize at some point, but I had to tell him about how his judgment was impacting you._

 _Thank you, Edward,_ I thought to him, kissing his cheek.

“Wing Commander Bree contacted us and gave us the coordinates for the hangar for the war ships. It’s located about four kilometers beneath the surface,” Senator J’ran explained. “She’s a competent commander and decorated for someone as young as she is.” He gave us a smile, stepping onto the transporter pad. “Shall we?”

“Excited, Senator?” I chuckled. He gave me a wry grin. Jasper nodded to the transporter chief and we were beamed into the office of the Wing Commander. She was a petite woman with black hair, braided intricately on her head. Her eyes were a bright violet, almost glowing in their intensity. She wore deep navy blue uniform with the Imperial insignia embroidered on her left pocket. She sharply saluted both me and Edward, standing at attention. “Wing Commander Ta’erre, it’s a pleasure.”

“No, Empress. The pleasure is all mine,” she said. “I’m so happy that you have decided to call upon the Imperial Fleet.”

“I didn’t know of your existence until very recently. The Council of Elders failed to inform me of this fleet,” I responded, frowning slightly. “And Senator J’ran was unavailable until Norex’s execution.”

“I’m glad Norex is gone. He tried to force us help Alphans and Remans. My father and my father’s father were killed in the war. I was not about to help the monsters who killed my family,” Bree growled, her spots glowing a brilliant red.

“What about your mother?” I asked.

“She died of grief after the death my father. They were _te’atée_ mates, just like you and your mate. She lasted another year after the death of my father, but she died in her sleep,” Bree explained, twisting an elegant ring on her middle finger. “Now, it’s just me and my sisters left. We have devoted our lives to the Imperial Fleet. My sisters are officers in the Imperial Fleet and I worked my way through the ranks becoming Wing Commander after the death of Emperor Charel.” She stood up taller, looking directly into my eyes. “Are you ready to see your battle cruisers?”

“Yes,” I nodded, following Bree out of the small office and into massive hangar with three battle cruisers with a fourth one being constructed. “Wow! These are massive! So much bigger than anything that is in the Cygnarian Fleet protecting the planet and the borders at the moment.”

“That’s because they are, Empress.” She walked to a screen, pressing a few buttons. “These vessels have over three hundred quantum torpedoes and hundred photon torpedoes. We also have multiphasic shielding, ablative armor, and eighty phaser cannons along the hull. Our maximum speed is jump factor nine. We also have twenty Imperial Fighters on each battle cruiser in addition to the attacker fighters on the planet’s surface. Each of those attack fighters have thirty quantum torpedoes and six phaser cannons.”

“Okay, this is my ignorance, but what is the difference between a photon torpedo and a quantum torpedo?” I asked.

“A photon torpedo can cause significant damage, breaching tritanium hull plating and various simple shielding. Quantum torpedoes pack a great deal more punch. They can destroy a small planetoid. Using their spectral scanners, they can burst through all types of shielding and with the information from Prince Charanel, we’re adapting them to burst through the cloaking technology of both the Alphans and Remans,” Bree explained. “We were trying to work on transphasic torpedoes, but they are still in the experimental phase.”

“We have our most experienced engineers working fine-tuning transphasic torpedoes, but we’re also in the experimental phase,” Admiral Cullen said. “Admiral Janeway is heading up that task force, mainly because of her connection with the Borg. She believes that Borg technology is the key in making those torpedoes work. It’s a long way before we can use them.”

“I’m assuming that our transphasic torpedoes are different than yours. We don’t have the access to Borg technology,” Bree said, her spots glowing in embarrassment. She pressed a button, causing the screen to go blank and the Cygnarian insignia glowing innocently. “Would like a tour of one of the ships?”

“That would amazing,” I smiled. Bree returned my grin, leading us to a small transporter pad. We beamed aboard Bree’s ship, the _Volt’erra._ It was an amazing ship with over two thousand crewmen and women. The tour of the ship began with the state-of-the-art bridge, shuttle bay, most advanced jump core and an armory that would cause the Alphans and Remans scurry back to their territory with their tales between their legs.

“How agile are these battle cruisers?” asked Edward.

“Not as agile as a Federation starship,” Bree answered. “Their power comes in the weaponry and defensive capabilities. These four ships will stand guard in front of Forx. They will protect the planet while the attack fighters will join you in the front. When will the battle occur?”

“We do not know exactly when it will happen,” I answered. “They are undoubtedly trying to lick their wounds from when I was rescued. They didn’t expect us to penetrate their cloak.”

“And reinforce their own defenses,” Edward said, his hand snaking around my waist. _Nothing will happen to you, my love._ “What do you suggest? Are you going to stay beneath ground or will you move these ships to orbit above the Imperial city?”

“We will do whatever the Empress says,” Bree said, ignoring my mate.

“You will do whatever either one of us says,” I muttered, glaring at the Wing Commander. “I may be the Empress, but my mate is the Emperor. He has much power as I do.”

“My apologies,” Bree said, her eyes dropping to the floor of the armory. “I meant no disrespect to either one of you. You may be _te’atée_ mates, but the Emperor is still an outsider.”

“He is not an outsider,” I growled, pinching my nose. “He is my mate, _your emperor_. He may have been born on another planet, but he is one of us. Perhaps I need to reassign you as a crewman on one of these vessels. You do not need be the Wing Commander. If you cannot respect him or me, than I do not need you as a part of my Imperial Fleet.”

“Empress, I’m so sorry. I meant no disrespect. Please! I will do everything in my power to ensure our victory against the Remans and the Alphans,” she whispered, her pale skin turning a sickly gray color. “The Imperial Fleet is all I know. My parents are dead and my sisters … this is all we know. It’s our purpose.”

 _Bella, it will take time for the majority to accept me. I am technically an outsider. Don’t be too harsh on her. I’ve read her dossier and she is a highly decorated officer. It would be a shame to lose her,_ Edward thought to me, kissing my temple. “Commander, the next time we discuss any strategies regarding the Alphans, Remans and the Alliance, we want you to be involved.”

“Of course, Emperor,” she nodded, pressing her hand to her chest.

“For now, why don’t you launch the three war ships and follow us back to Forx. How much longer until the fourth ship is done?” Edward questioned.

“A month or so,” Bree replied. “There’s a great deal of work still needed to be completed, mainly on the propulsion systems and weapons.”

“I don’t think we’ll need the ship to be able to go to jump speeds. Prioritize the weaponry and get the impulse engines and maneuvering thrusters online. Worry about jump capability until later,” Edward said, arching a brow. His experience as a star ship captain was ringing through.

“Understood, Emperor. I’ll let the work crews know. If that’s the case, we should be ready to launch in about a week, then,” Bree said, nodding curtly.

“I would like to be here when they launch,” I said, looking up at Edward and then at Captain Whitlock.

“Empress, you have an attack fighter for you,” Bree said. I furrowed my brow in confusion. Bree grumbled, muttering Cygnarian curses as she led us to the shuttle bay. “Empress, I’m appalled at the fact that the Council of Elders. They should have informed you all of this.” She pressed a few buttons, opening the shuttle bay doors. There was a sleek-looking ship hovering in the shuttle bay. “This is your private attack fighter.”

“I don’t know how to fly this,” I said, walking to the fighter.

“Bella, I can fly it,” Edward said, smirking confidently.

“My son received the highest score in Galaxy Fleet Academy for his stellar piloting skills,” Admiral Cullen said.

“I have no doubt in his skills,” I chuckled, turning to my mate and his father. “I wish I had the ability to fly this.”

“Come on, Bella. Let’s fly back to Forx and I’ll give you a flying lesson,” Edward said, offering me his hands. I took them. He led me to the rear of the of the attack fighter, pressing a few buttons. The door hissed opened. “Is that alright, Commander?”

“This is for you and the Empress, sir,” she said, clasping her hands behind her back. “It’s yours and I’m proud to say that you’ve got a few extra bells and whistles. You have a maximum jump factor of nine point nine-seven. You also have tri-cobalt warheads for your torpedoes. It adds an additional punch to the quantum torpedoes. She’s all yours.”

I beamed excitedly as I walked up the ramp into the cockpit of the attack fighter. I sat down in one of the seats, looking at all of the controls, trying to figure out what each one meant. Edward followed me with his father, Senator J’ran and my brother. “Are you coming back with us?” I asked them.

“Edward is an amazing pilot, but he needs a copilot. You’ll get your lesson, Empress. I’m just going to sit back here and monitor outputs,” Admiral Cullen said, sitting down behind a console. He pressed a few controls, his eyes sweeping over the screens in front of him.

“Preparing for preflight sequences,” Edward said, looking over the displays. “Bella, look at your console. What do you see?”

“Three separate screens. One indicates weapons, another is for impulse drive and maneuvering thrusting and the final is registering the matter/antimatter reaction in the jump reactor,” I answered.

“Look at the impulse drive indicator,” Edward said. “Once the impulse drive reaches eighty percent, let me know. It’ll probably take about three or four minutes.”

“Is there anything else I need to do?” I asked, looking at the screen.

“When the impulse drive reaches eighty percent, press this button. It’ll open the shuttle bay doors,” Edward said, pointing to a red button.

“What about the people in the shuttle bay?” I asked.

“Since we’re still underground and protected by the force fields, it’ll be okay, Empress,” Senator J’ran answered, his fingers flying over his console.

“Okay,” I answered, looking at the screen. The levels slowly rose and once they reached eighty percent, I pressed the button. The shuttle bay doors opened and a cavern was in our view. “Now what?”

“Let me pull us out of the shuttle bay and then your first flying lesson will begin,” Edward said, his fingers pressing a few buttons. The attack fighter floated gently before Edward pushed a lever forward, causing the maneuvering thrusters to fire. We moved closer to the shuttle bay doors and eased through the force field. Edward punched in a few commands. The fighter flew up closer to the surface. I could see the stars move closer as we traveled up the ravine, closer to the surface of Cygnaria Prime. Edward winked at me, pushing the lever further forward. I felt myself press into the chair as the gravity of our ascent pushed against my body.

“Wow!” I breathed as Edward twisted us up through the thin atmosphere into open space. Once we leveled off, Edward turned to me. “How did you do that spin thing?”

“I was just showboating,” Edward chuckled. “Are you ready for your lesson, Empress?”

“What do I need to do?” I asked eagerly.

“Sit here,” Edward answered, getting up and helping me to sit in the seat he just vacated. I settled into the seat while Edward crouched next to me. “Press this button twice and then the blinking yellow one once. That will take the fighter off of auto pilot. Make sure your hand is on this control. You’ll feel a slight twitch to the stick. That indicates that the fighter is in your control.”

I nodded, positioning my hand over the stick and pressing the buttons Edward indicated. The stick moved and it rolled slightly. I squeaked, straightening out the fighter. Once I got control, I looked over at Edward. “What next?”

“Now, to keep the ship straight, maintain this horizon control. I realize that we’re in open space, but as long as you keep the red and blue lines aligned, we’ll be dealing with less space sickness,” Edward chuckled, looking back at his father. Admiral Cullen looked green.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Admiral,” I cooed.

“Don’t be. The smaller ship, the bigger the space sickness for me. And Edward likes to do those twists and turns. He’s a great pilot, but not easy on the stomach,” Admiral Cullen croaked, rubbing his belly. “I think I’m going to go in the back. I saw a medical bay. Perhaps, there is some medication to stop the nausea.” He got up, walking unevenly to the aft section.

“I’m going to join him,” Charanel muttered, looking equally as green. “I don’t think I’ll be flying any attack fighters any time soon.” He groaned, stumbling the same way that Admiral Cullen went.

“Space sickness is more common than you think,” Edward said, giving Charanel and his father a sympathetic look. “And smaller ships to accentuate the gravitational eddies and minute spacial anomalies. However, the deflector may be malfunctioning, causing my dad and your brother to feel everything. Senator, is the deflector functioning properly?”

“There is a point three variance. Compensating,” Senator J’ran said, making some minor adjustments. The attack fighter shuddered and then the ride became smoother. “The variance has been corrected, Emperor.”

“Thank you, Senator,” Edward smiled. “How does it feel with the stick?”

“Good, I guess,” I shrugged. “How should it feel?”

“With any sort of variance, you’d feel some sort of drag on the vessel,” Edward explained. “With the correction, the ride would seem like you’re gliding through space.”

“I definitely feel like I’m gliding through space,” I said. “Now, how do I plot a course?”

“First you need to ascertain the coordinates of your destination. You do that with this instrument. It’s an astrometric map of the region. Once we get back to Forx, we can download the Galaxy Fleet astrometric database from the _Volvo_ or the _Enterprise,_ ” Edward explained. “Now, do you see the coordinates of Forx?”

“Yes,” I said. “One twenty-three mark seven eight.”

“According to the astrometric map, are there any anomalies?” Edward asked.

“There’s an asteroid field four million kilometers from our position and comet on an intercept course,” I replied, looking at the astrometric display. “What do I do?”

“We have to fly around the comet since it’s so big,” Edward said, looking at the readings. “Even with our weapons on steroids, it won’t make a dent on that comet.”

“How big is it?” I asked, trying to make sense of what he was interpreting.

“If I’m reading these numbers accurately; it’s about the size of the planet Mars,” he murmured. I looked at him, confused to his comparison. “It’s a planet in the Terran System, slightly smaller than Earth. We’ll have to avoid it, flying around it and keeping clear of the coma. Try these coordinates. It’ll get us clear of the comet and the largest asteroids in the asteroid field.”

I plugged in the coordinates. Looking at him expectantly, I waited for the next step. He chuckled lowly, pointing to a blue button. I pressed it and the engines whirred to life, shooting us off into the blackness of space. Six hours later, we arrived at Forx. The detour around the comet and asteroid field added the extra time. Once we were in orbit of Forx, Edward contacted the Imperial Guard for instructions on where to store our fighter. We entered the atmosphere and flew to the cliffs overlooking the Renien Ocean. He expertly landed the fighter on a raised platform, powering down the engines.

We got off the fighter and boarded a waiting hover car. Admiral Cullen was still a little green, but it wasn’t from space sickness. He looked like he wanted to speak with me. Edward’s fingers twined with mine and he gave me a warm grin. _He does want to talk to you, Bella_. _I’m having dinner with my mother and sister while you talk to him._

 _Should I be afraid?_ I asked, arching a brow. Edward shook his head slightly, kissing my temple.

We arrived at the Imperial Palace. Senator J’ran turned to Charanel. “Would you like join me for dinner, Charanel?” he asked. “I’d like to share some stories about your father with you.”

“You won’t mind?” Charanel replied, his eyes eager. Senator J’ran nodded, leading my brother out of the Imperial Palace and back toward the hover car. Charanel ran back to me, giving me a hug. “I’ll be home before nightfall. _Te’une fei’renne._ ”

“ _Te’une fei’rene,_ ” I replied, scratching his back. “Have fun with Senator J’ran.” My brother hugged me tighter before darting back into the hover car, slipping into the seat with Senator J’ran. The door closed and the hover car drove away.

“Empress,” Admiral Cullen called. “Can I have a moment with you? I’d like to speak with you about my behavior.”

“I’m going to spend time with Mom and Elizabeth,” Edward said. “Are they at the house?”

“No, I think they’re aboard the _Enterprise,_ ” Admiral Cullen responded.

Edward tapped his insignia. “Cullen to Picard.”

“Picard here.”

“Are my mother and sister aboard?”

“Affirmative. Would you like to beam up?” Captain Picard asked.

“Yes, sir,” Edward chuckled. “Energize.”

My mate disappeared and I was left with his father, who was standing uncomfortably in the throne room. “Would you like to join me in my suite for a private meal, Admiral?”

“That would be great. My stomach is a little unsettled from the flight back to Forx,” he chuckled anxiously.

“Shall we?” I smiled, leading him to the suite. He nodded. The doors slid open and I offered him a seat before I requested two meals from the kitchen. “I ordered a family favorite, good for upset stomachs. Some _mytagi_ soup with _mikraate_ bread. Would you like some _tala root_ tea?”

“I’d love to try some.”

I went to the kitchenette and prepared the tea with some _miranne_ and _shu’ura,_ a sweet syrup that was good for unsettled stomachs. Carrying the tray, I sat down on the cushy chair across from my mate’s father. I prepared his tea, handing him the cup. “I hope this helps,” I said, smiling anxiously.

“This is really good,” he said, sipping the tea. “What is the fruit?”

“It’s called _miranne_. Edward doesn’t care for it,” I snickered. “Now, what do you want to talk about?”

“My behavior regarding your decision about Norex,” he muttered, a pink flush covering his features. “Empress …”

“Please, call me Bella. We are family.”

“Only if you call me Carlisle,” he chuckled. “Bella, I know your decision to execute your uncle was not made lightly. My beliefs on capital punishment are deep-seated. I was born and raised in a culture that is adamantly against murder, capital punishment and crime. Everything we are do is for the greater good. When someone commits a crime, they are sent to a penal colony and reformed.”

“That is an admirable thing, Carlisle. And I understand your issue with my decision. I hated that I put my father’s brother to death, but what he did was deplorable,” I explained. “He betrayed my trust and trust of my people. He sold me into slavery and wanted us to join an alliance with the aliens that have been attacking my planet for over a thousand years. No amount of reformation or any length of time in a prison would have helped my uncle.”

“And you’re right,” he sighed. “I just have a hard time coming to grips with your decision because it goes against my beliefs. Regardless, what I believe is my opinion and as the leader of Forx, it’s my job to support those decisions. I really can’t interfere with the inner-workings of the governments of the planets within the Federation. By our laws, treason is a capital crime. It’s just something we don’t ever use.”

“So, you won’t be opposed to me executing my uncle’s mate or the elder who is the mastermind behind all of this?” I asked, arching a brow as the door chimed.

“After seeing what happened to you and how brutal they were to you and to N’essie,” Carlisle frowned.

“You’ve spoken to her?”

“N’essie? Yes. We had to listen to her case before granting her asylum. Slavery is rampant on the Reman home world and the treatment of the slaves is atrocious,” Carlisle growled. “We fought a brutal Civil War on my world over five hundred years ago and one of the things that they fought against was slavery.”

“So, she was granted asylum?” I asked.

“She was. She’s being treated aboard the _Enterprise_. Dr. Bashir is treating her for malnutrition and extreme psychological trauma. She’s safe for the first time in her life and she’s never been more afraid,” Carlisle grimaced. “With Dr. Bashir and his wife, Counselor Dax, they are working on her physical and emotional problems.” He blew out a breath, placing his tea onto the table. “Regarding your opinion and decision about your uncle and further executions, you won’t hear any more grief from me. I apologize, Bella. You have every right to make these decisions and carry them out. Just because it goes against my beliefs doesn’t mean that I should be judgmental about it.”

“It’s okay, Carlisle. You have every right to have your beliefs, but so do I,” I said.

“And I respect that. I promise to keep my opinions to myself. You have every right to …” he trailed off. “We have bigger battles to wage with the Alliance and ending this war. We can’t do that if we are at odds with each other, Bella.”

“Agreed.”

“Now, let’s try and come up with a plan to put an end to this. Let’s give your children a future and make your father proud,” Carlisle breathed, squeezing my hand. “Because, I know that he probably is so very proud of you.”

“Do you think?” I asked, my breath catching. “I’ve only ever wanted him to be proud of me. With him gone and my mom dying with the birth of Charanel …”

“Bella, I may not be your father, but I see a young woman who leads her people with grace, poise and fairness. You are strong, loving, patient, resilient and … Your father must be smiling down on you, wherever he is.”

“Thank you, Carlisle,” I sniffled, looking up at him. “Hearing that makes me so happy.”

“I’m very proud of you, too. Despite our differences, you’ve been an amazing leader and you make my son very happy,” Carlisle said. “He loves you very much and I know you love him. And I think that strength within your connection is what will save you and all Cygnarians. Let’s try and use that to our advantage. I have an idea.”

**A/N: Okay, so I’m struggling with this story. I’m leaning toward taking a vacation from this story. I need to plan it out. Additionally, RL is just kicking my rear. My mojo is non-existent and yeah …**

**Some pictures from this chapter are on my blogs and tumblr. Links for all of those are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and twitter: tufano79. I’d appreciate some loving and support.**

**Up next will be some drama, a conversation with N’essie, and getting closer to the battle with the Alliance. What do you think will happen? Leave me some!**

 


	17. Chapter 17

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be some drama, a conversation with N’essie, and getting closer to the battle with the Alliance. What do you think will happen? Leave me some!**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**EPOV**

“Edward, you’re going to wear out the bulkhead,” Mom chided. “Your mate is fine with your father. This conversation is a long-time coming.”

“Dad’s actions were very inconsiderate, Mom,” Elizabeth snickered. “Opinions are like assholes. We all have one and they most definitely stink.”

“Bolians don’t have assholes,” I whispered, looking down at the glittering green and blue orb below us. “Their bodily waste is reabsorbed into their bodies and excreted in the form of a gas.”

“Thank you, Emperor Smart Ass, for that wonderful biology lesson,” Elizabeth deadpanned. “Now, I know why my Bolian roommate from university always smelled like shit.” I shot my sister a withering glare. “Don’t look at me in that tone of voice, Edward Anthony.”

“You’re such a pain in the ass, Elizabeth,” I grumbled.

“Edward, stop it,” Mom barked. “Apologize to your sister.”

“Sorry, Lizzie,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

“And Elizabeth, stop goading him. He’s got enough on his plate without your sarcastic remarks,” Mom chided.

“Sorry, Edward. I didn’t mean to give you shit,” Elizabeth said, walking over to me and leaning her head on my shoulder. “What’s our next plan of attack?”

“I don’t know,” I sighed. “I feel more confident about a fight knowing we have the Imperial Fleet.”

“I’m shocked that the Council of Elders didn’t inform you or Nirabelle of those vessels,” Mom scoffed.

“The Council of Elders are entrenched in this coup, Mom. I honestly don’t trust any of them,” I growled. “Even Counselor Marcusi has his own agenda, but Counselors Aro and Caius may be behind this. To what end? I don’t know and it’s incredibly frustrating. We need to pretend like we are unaware of their involvement, but they could be in contact with the Remans or Alphans.”

“Their transmissions are being closely monitored. Plus, any incoming or outgoing ship is being searched and checked before they are allowed to depart the Cygnarian system,” Mom explained. “Jasper suggested it after he heard about the Turulian cargo ship delivering the _marchesian_ stones. The ships we’re boarding are not happy about it, but it’s a necessary evil of war.”

“What do you think of Senator J’ran?” Elizabeth asked. “You seemed pretty chummy with him.”

“I don’t know. I trust him, to an extent, but like Bella, I’m afraid to let anyone else into our circle of trust,” I snorted. “What I wouldn’t give for a Klaxon right now? I’d want to know what they see when they meet Senator J’ran.”

“Not all Klaxons have that ability. It’s very rare,” Mom said. “You’re going to have to go with your gut. Do you trust him?”

“He worked with Charel. He was a trusted advisor for Bella’s father. He was strong armed out of the Assembly of Nobles because Norex was an asshole and welcomed back with open arms,” I muttered, trying to figure out my feelings. “He could have killed us when we were on that fighter, but he didn’t. I can’t make a decision right now. I need more facts.”

“And that’s fair, Edward,” Mom smiled. “Now, you need to eat. You have still yet to gain back the weight you lost when you were under the influence of the _em’tuuk_ gas. I think a nice juicy steak would be delicious.”

Mom sat us down and ordered three steaks with mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and vanilla cheesecake for dessert. She even picked out a bottle of wine from her private stock and served it to us. It was the best meal I’d had in a long time. Then again, I’d been eating Cygnarian food. It was delicious, but nothing was as good as a hearty, medium rare steak.

As we were finishing up our desserts, listening to Elizabeth and Mom’s stories working with Ang’ele and J’amaru, my father walked in. He smiled at me. “Did you and Nirabelle come to an understanding?” Mom chided, her Irish brogue coming out thickly.

“Yes, Es,” Dad chuckled. “We talked and we now understand each other. I was acting like an ass.”

“To put it mildly,” Mom deadpanned. “I know you have strong beliefs, but everyone shares them, Carlisle Ignatius Cullen.”

“Ooooh, you got middle named, Dad,” Elizabeth giggled.

“Do I need to find an airlock?” Dad asked flatly. Elizabeth wiggled her fingers. “Edward, when you’re ready to transport down, Nirabelle has some ideas she wants to discuss regarding this whole situation.”

“I’ll head down now,” I said, wiping my lips and standing up. “Thank you for dinner, Mom. The replicator made a delicious meal.” I kissed her cheek and hugged her tightly. “Lizzie, thank you for being a pain in my ass.”

“It’s my solemn duty as a younger sibling to be a pain in your ass,” Elizabeth giggled, hugging me and ruffling my hair. “Give my love to Bella.”

“I will, Dr. Cullen,” I smirked, turning to my father. “Would you walk with me to the transporter, Dad?”

“Of course,” he nodded, leading me out of their quarters. “Your mate is in the care of her brother, Edward. He came by shortly before I left, wanting to spend time with her.”

“Good, I’m glad that they’re spending time together,” I smiled. “I just wanted to make sure that you were okay with Bella’s decisions about the counselor, Liannette and the other nobles who supported Norex. She is going to kill them for high treason.”

“I am okay and after speaking with her, I understand why she is willing to sacrifice their lives,” Dad said. “She does not want to appear weak. With the Elder and Liannette, I have no problems with her sentencing them to death. For the other nobles, she said that she was going to confine them in the prison on Cygnaria Prime. We also think that we need to talk to N’essie. She may be an asset in this fight.”

“Dr. Bashir said that she’s dealing with long-term psychological and physical trauma. She’s a mess,” I murmured. “But, if you think speaking with her can help then we will. How do you think we’ll fare?”

“With the addition of the Federation ships and the Imperial Fleet, we may have a decided advantage. We won’t know until we have some recon about what type of ships the Remans have. The Alphan vessels are in horrible shape and there aren’t many left,” Dad explained as we arrived in the transporter room.

“How many?” I asked.

“About twenty. They had to dismantle many of them to do repairs on the planet’s surface,” he said. “We have to make sure we fight on our terms.”

“I agree. I think that we need to prepare for any contingency, but it will be in Cygnarian space,” I nodded. “Oh, and find out about the Ferengi and Talaxians. Are they really a part of the Alliance?”

“Already on it. You take care of your mate, Edward. She may be unbearably strong, but she needs you now more than ever, Emperor. We’ll be down at some point tomorrow,” Dad smiled, shaking my hand. “Sleep well, son.”

“Love you, Dad,” I smiled, smacking his shoulder lightly. I got onto the transporter pad. My father took the spot behind the console and plugged in the coordinates of the throne room. “Energize.”

Arriving down on the surface, the waning sunlight bathed the throne room in a kaleidoscope of pinks, reds and oranges. I smiled softly, relishing in the beauty of Forx. I turned on my heel, listening for my mate and I found her in our quarters with her brother. Using my palm to open the door, I found them in a very intense-looking game of _zegge_. Bella was on the losing end and she was not happy. Charanel smiled as he took his final move. “I win.”

“You play like father,” Bella grumbled. “You tease me and then at the last possible moment, you strike.”

“It makes the most sense, Sissy,” Charanel laughed, putting the pieces back in their starting position. “Do you want to play, Edward?”

“My ego has yet to recover from Bella’s game,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m still learning.”

“So is Charanel,” Bella grumbled, poking her brother’s arm. He just snickered. “How was dinner with your sister and mother?”

“It was delicious and I’m so full,” I said, patting my belly. “How was the conversation with my father?”

“Interesting,” she replied. “You and he are so much alike. It’s uncanny how much you act and think and look like each other. He’s so very proud of you, Edward.” She blushed, her spots glowing. _And he said that he believed that my father is proud of me, too. I don’t know why, but hearing that put my soul and mind at ease. All I ever wanted was for my father to be proud of me._

“He is, Nirabelle,” I whispered, walking to her and kissing her temple.

“Are we going to talk to that Reman slave?” Charanel asked. “N’essie?”

“We’re going to ask her to come down to the surface. I’m certain she’d probably enjoy it down here,” Bella smiled. “We’ll hail her in the morning. I just want to have a night where I’m not obsessing about the impending war, surreptitious nobles and unfaithful advisors. I want to just relax, watch the sun set and remember simpler times.”

“Then, that’s what we’ll do,” I nodded.

“Do you remember when father would set up tents outside in the Imperial Gardens?” Charanel asked. “We would go camping in the safety of the palace.”

“I do remember that,” Bella smiled. “I think it would nice to honor our father and have a camping trip in the gardens,” Bella giggled. “Have you ever gone camping, Edward?”

“More times than I can count,” I laughed. “Part of my Galaxy Fleet training included outdoor engineering and orienteering with just the basics. I enjoyed it a lot since I’d gone camping with my family. Some of my classmates hated it and were spoiled by their replicators and soft beds. Once we are done with all of this, I’d like to take both of you to Earth and we could go camping in the wilderness outside of Galaxy Fleet Headquarters. It’s beautiful and untouched by any technology.”

“Let me contact Maralice and make the arrangements,” Bella said, hailing her envoy. Charanel left and said that he was going change into something more comfortable. I did the same, changing into a pair of grey cargo pants and a tight grey shirt with a navy jacket. Bella limped into our bedroom, grimacing slightly.

“Are you okay, **_Fíorghrá?_** **” I asked. “How is your leg?”**

 **“It hurts. I haven’t taken any of the pain medication since we returned from Cygnaria Prime, _t_** _i’ane,_ ” she murmured. “I’m trying to not take anything. I hate the way the drugs make me feel.”

“Have you spoken with Kunnan? Perhaps he can prescribe something that won’t make you feel as drugged,” I suggested, rushing to her and sitting down on the bed with her in my lap. “And do you really want to go camping now? You need a bed. You need to be comfortable.”

“The camping from your childhood and the camping from mine is very different, Edward,” Bella giggled. “We will have a tent, but we will also have every luxury, including some very comfortable beds. My father was spoiled and he made sure that we enjoyed the outdoors, but with the necessities he needed. Which included a bed and cooled air inside of the tent.”

“That’s not camping,” I scoffed. “That’s having a tent with air conditioning.”

“What’s camping for you, _ti’ane?_ ” she asked, her fingers massaging at the nape of my neck.

“Camping is roughing it. Carrying all you need on your back and using your instincts to survive. No electricity, no replicators, no prepared food. Everything you ate, you hunted or gathered yourself. You didn’t eat until you had a fire burning. And no phasers. Use bow and arrows to kill your meal and flint and steel to create your fire,” I grunted.

“Well, we can do that on Earth, Edward. Here? We’ll do my father’s version of camping,” Bella snickered. “And it’s within the Imperial Palace walls. Until the threat of the Remans, the Alphans and the Alliance is gone, we have to remain protected.”

“That’s important, but I will take you and Charanel camping. After all of this, we will hike the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Park. It’s located in an old Earth state of Washington. It’s beautiful, but so very different from Forx,” I smiled.

“I look forward to it, Edward,” Bella beamed, leaning forward to brush her lips with mine. I hugged her to my body, tracing her lips with my tongue. She sighed, opening her mouth to me and allowing me to taste her sweet flavor. We were lost in each other, our kisses becoming frantic. She pulled back, her chest heaving. _You are too addictive, Edward. One kiss and all I want is to make love_.

I nodded, my fingers tracing down her sizzling spots. “Soon, **_Fíorghrá._** **Now, I’ll let you get changed. I want to see if the kitchen can provide us with the makings for s’mores. It’s the one food that I take out camping that I don’t hunt myself.”**

**“S’mores?” she asked, unfamiliar with the term.**

**“You’ll see, Bella,” I laughed. “Dress in layers. I don’t know how cold the tent will get.” Bella smiled, getting up from my lap and limping to the closet. “And call Kunnan.”**

**“I will,” she replied, ducking into her closet.**

**I sent her a mental kiss before going down to the Imperial kitchens in search of graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate. I asked the cooks for the ingredients and they looked at me like I had grown three heads. They had hard crackers, but they were salty and not sweet. The concepts of marshmallows and chocolate were foreign to them. Thanking them for trying, I beamed aboard the _Volvo_ , which was in synchronous orbit above the capital. I went to my quarters and directly to the replicator. I got enough to make each of us six s’mores. Putting them into containers, I left my quarters, only to be stopped by Jasper. “Stealing Federation property, Emperor?”**

**“Ha, ha,” I deadpanned. “Bella, Charanel and I are going camping in the Imperial Gardens. I wanted to make s’mores but the Cygnarians don’t know what marshmallows or chocolate are. I came up here for provisions.”**

**“That’s fine, Edward,” Jasper snorted. “I was just alerted to a transport in progress from the surface. I was close to the transporter room.”**

**I smacked my head. “The _Volvo_ isn’t my ship,” I groaned. “I’m sorry, Jasper. You got an intruder alarm.”**

**“Edward, the _Volvo_ will always be your ship. You do not need permission to beam aboard. It’s also why I didn’t take over your quarters. You took a leave of absence. You didn’t resign,” Jasper chuckled. “Anyhow, I’ll let you get back down to your mate and your brother. Have fun camping.” He shuddered, wrinkling his nose. **

**“Not a fan, Captain?” I quipped.**

**“No. I like space. Creepy crawly things? Things that go bump in the night. Nope. Not for me,” Jasper chuckled. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Edward. I’ll be on the surface when you meet with N’essie.”**

**“Thank you for letting me invade your replicator,” I snorted, taking my stash and going to the transporter room. Jasper beamed me back down to the throne room. Bella and Charanel were waiting for me.**

**_Where did you go,_ ** **ti’ane? Bella asked mentally.**

**“S’mores,” I answered simply. “I couldn’t find ingredients in the kitchens so I transported up to the _Volvo_ to get some. Can we light a fire while camping?”**

**“My father set up a fire pit near the tent,” Bella replied. “Come, the gardens are this way.” We walked southward to a wing that I hadn’t been since I came to Forx. Bella pointed out various things as we walked, but stopped in front of a large painting. “I don’t come down here that often. It’s a cruel reminder of what I lost.”**

**“This is father,” Charanel whispered.**

**I looked up at the painting. Charel, the previous Emperor of the Cygnarian people, was a handsome man. His hair was a rich mahogany that was cropped close to his head. His eyes were the same electric blue as Bella’s. His skin was pale and covered with greyish blue spots along his temples and down his neck. Atop his head was the same circlet that now adorned my head and I could see the ring on his finger. From the painting, I could tell that he was strong and very muscular. “He was a great man, Bella,” I whispered.**

**“He was,” she said, touching his picture. “He ruled fairly and had many supporters. His death was a great loss of our people. But, I know that a part of him lives in you, Edward. I see a great deal of my father in you.”**

**“I’m honored that you believe that, Nirabelle,” I breathed. “Is there a picture of your mother?”**

**She smiled, guiding me to a picture across the hall from her father’s painting. “This is my mother. She was the empress, but allowed my father to rule. Her job was to her children and to see to the nobles.” Rianelle was a beautiful woman with flowing chestnut curls. She looked almost exactly like Bella, but her nose was slightly longer and her body rounder from having Bella. “I don’t remember much about her, but I knew she loved to sing and play. I always laughed with her when I was younger.”**

**“You at least remember her,” Charanel frowned. “I never knew mother.”**

**“She loved you, Charanel. She was so happy to have another baby,” Bella said, hugging her brother.**

**“When are you and Edward going to have a baby?” Charanel asked, his eye brows waggling.**

**“Not for at least another year. Kunnan gave me medication to stop** _El-lak D’nus._ With all that happened, I couldn’t …” she blushed. _This is very awkward, Edward. Talking to my brother about_ El-lak D’nus. _He doesn’t understand._

 _I’ll speak to him, Bella. Or we can have Senator J’ran help. He obviously knows what to expect. I don’t since I’ve never experienced you in_ El-lak D’nus. _Let’s just go to the gardens. We’ll handle this hurdle at a later time._ “Come on, Charanel. Show me where the gardens are. I can’t wait to share my s’mores with you,” I smiled. Charanel was distracted and we went to a large, enclosed garden. Off to the left, there was massive white tent with warm lighting and several ‘rooms.’ The rooms were separated by more of the white fabric, giving us privacy. Somewhat. In front of the tent, there was a large fire pit, already burning brightly in the twilight.

We walked into the garden and explored around the tent. It was filled with every luxury. _This is NOT camping, Nirabelle,_ I deadpanned mentally. She just giggled, leading me to the largest ‘room’ in the tent which had a decent sized bed. Charanel went to a room on the other side of the tent, closest to the palace.

“I have to ask, Edward. What are s’mores?” Charanel asked, his lips struggling with the unfamiliar word. Bella had struggled with it, too. It came out sounding more like ‘samorees.’

“S’mores are manna from heaven,” I said, pulling out a chair from the tent and putting it close to the fire. “Go find some long skinny twigs. Three of them, if you can.” Charanel nodded, looking for the perfect twigs. Bella went with him. I pulled out the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. Darting into the tent, I found a small refrigerated unit and grabbed some Cygnarian ale. It was a non-alcoholic beverage that reminded me of an orange creamsicle. When I came back out, I handed them the ale and took the twigs. “So, s’mores are a sweet, delicious sandwich. What you do is you put a marshmallow onto the twig.”

“What’s a marshmallow?” Bella asked.

“Try it,” I said, handing them both a marshmallow. Charanel’s eyes widened when he took a bite, followed by a groan. Bella was a little more hesitant. She poked the marshmallow. “It’s good. Like a cloud of sugar.”

“It’s delicious, Sissy,” Charanel smiled, swallowing his. “Like _ictiiey_ candy, but softer.”

Bella nibbled on it, humming in appreciation. “It is good. What’s the brown stuff? The dark brown stuff?”

“I’ll get to that. Back to the marshmallows. What you do is you put them above the fire and let them cook a little bit. Once they’re slightly charred, you pull them out and put them between a graham cracker and a piece of chocolate,” I said. “A graham cracker is like a hard cookie, sweet but with a bit of spice to it. And chocolate, well, try that, too.”

“I like this,” Bella breathed, inhaling her piece of chocolate. “Much better than the _ictiiey_ candy.”

“Marshmallow,” I snickered.

“Marshmallow,” she repeated. “So, you put this along with the chocolate between two cookies?”

I nodded, putting a marshmallow onto a twig and holding it above the fire. Once it was done, I placed it on one of the graham crackers, putting a piece of chocolate on top with another graham cracker atop of that. I squeezed it, letting the marshmallow ooze out and I took a bite. Most of it landed on my chin, but it was so delicious. “They’re kind of messy,” I chuckled, wiping my face with a napkin. “But, worth it.”

“Can I try a bite of yours?” Bella asked. “Since you are the expert.” I handed her my s’more and she nibbled on it, her eyes rolling back in her head. “This is _wie’sceitni amit._ ”

“What? My translator missed that,” I laughed.

“I think the term you use is ‘better than sex,’” she said, inhaling the rest of my s’more. “More, Edward. These are amazing.”

“You try it,” I said, handing her a twig with a marshmallow. Charanel grabbed another twig and started cooking his marshmallow over the fire pit. He cooked it too long and it fell into the flames.

“ _Snir,_ ” Charanel grumbled.

“Language, Charanel,” Bella admonished.

“Sorry, Nirabelle,” he pouted. “It just fell into the fire.”

“It’s because you let it cook too long,” I chuckled. I worked with him to cook another one and he got it, eager to eat his own s’more. After an hour, we all were sticky messes, but it was a happy memory for all of us. Washing our hands and faces in the tent, the fire burnt down and was smoldering. Without the light of the flames, I could see how the flora luminesced in the garden. “Wow, this is beautiful. I never knew …”

“Not all plants are like this. But, the plants and flowers in this garden are known for their glow. This is one of six moon gardens on the whole planet,” Bella explained. “My father told me that I was conceived in this garden. Charanel, too.”

“I do not want to picture father mating,” Charanel laughed, scrubbing his eyes. “At times like this, I miss being an innocent. Not knowing about mating.”

“Oh, Charanel. Just wait until you imprint on someone,” Bella laughed. “It’ll hit you like a ton of bricks.”

“Will I have an imprint, Nirabelle?” Charanel asked. “Father never thought that I would mate because of my delay.”

“I don’t know, Charanel. I’m certain that there is a woman out there for you,” Bella explained. “Who knows, maybe you’re mating to Edward’s sister, Elizabeth?”

 _Have they met?_ I asked her. Bella shook her head. _It would make sense if they were mated since we’re mated. I share the same DNA as my sister … It would be a good match. Is there some sort of test?_

 _Only a feeling, but a parent can recognize a mate. I’ve never heard of a sibling finding a mate for another sibling,_ Bella shrugged. “Do you remember when father brought us out here? You were ten and I was fifteen. He told us stories.”

“I remember camping, but not the stories. The time I was _yanhesh_ …”

“Charanel,” Bella growled.

“What? I was. And in a way, I still am. My brain is working, but my emotions are still immature,” Charanel argued. Bella huffed, leaning against me. “Anyway, the memories I have from before my surgery are muddy, murky. Everything since is bright and beautiful. So, I remember the camping trip and the emotions behind it, but the stories and details are lost in my brain.”

“The story that father told …” Bella began, weaving an elaborate tale of romance, intrigue and suspense. It was a Cygnarian version of a ghost story. The way that Bella told it was magical. Her voice had a musical lilt as she described the details. Charanel hung on her every word. So did I. She was a master storyteller. By the time she was done, the fire had completely smoldered out. The trees and flowers glowed brightly around us, giving the garden an ethereal feel. She helped Charanel to his feet. He crashed from his sugar rush, almost drunk with exhaustion. Together, we moved him to his room and tucked him in.

“ _Te’une fei’rene, te’una fei’renne,_ ” he whispered, curling around his Flotter toy. His eyes fluttered shut and he was down for the count within moments.

“Come, _ti’ane,_ ” Bella whispered, guiding us to our room. Through the fabric of the tent, the luminescent plant life glowed, casting the room in a ghostly hue. “I know that we will not conceive a child tonight, but I want to feel you, Edward.”

“But, Charanel,” I murmured. “He might hear us. He might see you glow.”

“He is a deep sleeper,” she purred, her fingers making quick work of my jacket and pushing it over my shoulders. _Make love to me_ , she thought, tugging on my t-shirt. Her mind was yearning for us and I couldn’t deny her. Enfolding her in my arms, we fell onto the bed and made love in the light of the silvery moons of Forx and the luminescent plants of the Imperial Moon Garden of the Imperial Palace. As we curled together in a heap of naked limbs and panting bodies, I prayed that one day, when we were ready for a family, that we would conceive a child in this very place.

And I couldn’t wait to do that.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The next day, we woke up with the sun. It was bright and warm in our tent. Bella had kept off the air conditioner. We got dressed and walked back to our respective quarters. Charanel smiled shyly as he looked at the two of us. _He heard us, Bella_ , I snickered.

 _He did, but he still doesn’t understand,_ Bella responded as she opened the door to our suite. “I will speak with Senator J’ran. He can describe to Charanel the phenomenon of imprinting and the need to mate. You can tell him about the biology of mating and some of the emotional connection to a mate, but you are still human. Our reaction to each other was unique, only occurring twice before and it’s much more intense. Once with Wing Commander Bree and then in its first inception, almost five hundred years ago.”

“I do have some questions, Bella,” I said as I led us to the bathroom to take a bath together. “When your contraceptive medication wears off, how soon will it be before you enter your first _El-lak D’nus?_ ”

“It will happen the moment the medication is gone from my system,” Bella explained, easing into the water and swimming to the far end of the pool. Her spots sizzled a deep, seductive purple. “Cygnarian women are quite feral when they are in _El-lak D’nus._ It is mating, _fucking_ in its truest sense. For one week, we do not leave our quarters and we mate as many times as we can. If I fall pregnant, I will remain that way for a year until I give birth. If I don’t get pregnant, than in four months’ time, the cycle repeats.”

“So, Cygnarian gestation is a year,” I said, wading to her in the water.

“A Cygnarian year, which is the equivalent of a year and a half for humans,” she explained. “Babies take a long time to form and become closely bonded with its mother.”

“Was the situation with your mother common? With Charanel?” I whispered.

“Not really. The cord that attached my brother to my mother was caught around his neck, thereby cutting off his air supply in the womb. Then, when he was born, the network of blood vessels that fed and protected the baby was torn away from her body, causing her to bleed to death almost instantaneously. Charanel did not breathe on his own for almost a month after he was born and Kunnan and his own father, Kun’nari, diagnosed Charanel with the delay. He would never be a normal child. Though, with the help of the Federation and Rose’s innovative surgical procedure, Charanel will have a normal adulthood,” Bella said, wrapping her slender legs around my waist. “Why do you want to know, _ti’ane?_ ”

“For when we have our child,” I said, resting my hand on her flat, muscular belly. “I want to know what to expect.”

“Oh,” she breathed. “Obviously since I’ve only ever been with you, I’ve only read what to expect when a woman gets pregnant. I didn’t want to ask Liannette and Maralice never had a child. She got pregnant just prior to Jamel’s death, but lost the baby in her grief. Also, I don’t remember my mother’s pregnancy with Charanel. I was only four. But, I do remember my father always singing and talking to her growing belly. He also touched her constantly. Part of it is a protective mate thing. The other part is bonding with the baby before he or she is born. The baby is aware of both parents in the womb.”

“And the baby will look like you? With spots, pointed ears, and the ability to imprint?” I asked.

“Cygnarian genes are more dominant than human genes. Our baby will have a lot of Cygnarian traits. However, the major difference will be in the eyes and spots. I think our baby may have bright green eyes and the spots will not glow as much as mine,” she smiled, her fingers threading into my wet hair. “I can’t wait to be the mother of our child, Edward. I want to see a perfect little boy with shimmery bronze hair and a crooked smile.”

“A miniature Bella would be just as a special, with chocolate brown hair and glowing blue eyes,” I cooed, kissing her tenderly.

“ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” Bella whispered, deepening our kiss.

“ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,”_ I repeated, holding her to my body.

We kissed languidly, losing ourselves to our connection and to our love. Maralice knocked on the door before walking into the bathroom. “Oh, _shtacknec!_ ” she barked, turning away from us. “Please forgive this intrusion. I am so sorry.”

Bella slid off my body. _Did you forget to lock the door,_ ti’ane? She quipped mentally.

 _Oops,_ I snickered. _To be continued?_

“Hmmm, definitely, Edward,” she smiled, pressing a button on the edge of the huge bath, clouding the water. “What is it, Maralice?”

“I’m am so sorry for intruding in your private time,” she blubbered, her voice wavering.

“Do not apologize. My mate forgot to lock the door. We were just _senellé._ No mating was happening,” Bella giggled. “You can turn around. Our bodies are hidden.”

Maralice turned around and I saw her face. She was bright red as a tomato and her spots were almost an iridescent pink. I also noticed that she was not wearing a white mourning dress. Her clothes were a shimmery grey with a blue overskirt. “I beg for your forgiveness, Emperor and Empress. It’s just that you were not responding to our hails and communiqués,” she said, bowing deeply.

“We just got back from camping in the Moon Garden. It was warm in the tent and we needed to clean up,” Bella replied. _And have some alone time._ Her mind swirled of what she wanted to do if we had not been interrupted. I grew hard as I watched her imagination unfold and my incarnation in her dream feasted on her sex.

 _Bella, stop or I won’t be able to control myself,_ I hissed.

She smirked, reaching for my hand and tugging me closer. I was behind her. My arousal was caught between her ass and my stomach. She rolled her body, turning back to Maralice. “What did you need?”

“N’essie, the Council of Elders, and the Federation captains are waiting for you in the conference room,” Maralice said. “Will you be much longer?”

“We will join you in fifteen minutes, Maralice. Thank you. And please lock the door on your way out,” Bella practically growled as she reached behind her and wrapped her tiny hand around my arousal.

 _Fuck!_ I barked, my hand sliding between her legs.

“Very well, Empress,” Maralice said, gliding out of the room and closing the door.

Once she was gone, Bella moved and slid down my hardness. “Yes,” she whimpered. I moved us so she was near the steps of her bath. She fell onto her hands and rolled her body over me. “Fuck me, Edward.”

“You are a tease, Nirabelle,” I growled, gripping her hips. “Maralice was _right there_ and you wanted me to …”

“Yes. I’m yours, Edward. You’re mine. Fuck me,” she snarled, her eyes flashing brightly and her spots glowing purple. I thrust my hips forward, slamming my cock deep inside of her. She gasped and the muscles between her legs tightened around me. Grasping her hips and her spreading her ass, I moved quickly and deeply inside of her. Our mating was dirty, sexy and loud. Bella’s moans filled the bathroom while I growled like a freaking animal, fucking my mate. The sound of my thighs slapping hers adding to the moment, making it that much more erotic. “Oh, Yes! Edward! I’m …” she trailed off as she lost all control. Her body was pulsing with each thrust inside of her. Her spots began to glow white and I knew she was coming. With a scream, she nearly cut off my hardness as she exploded in a flash of blazing white lights and pure euphoria. Her orgasm triggered mine and I spilled deep inside her, filling her with my release.

I guided us back into the now clear water of our bath. Sliding out of her, I picked her up and held her to my chest. Bella was smiling, her lips trailing along my collarbone as I massaged her back and calmed her still vibrating body down. “You are a little minx, Nirabelle.”

“I don’t know what a minx is, but I needed you,” she whispered, her lips finding my jaw and kissing me sweetly until she brushed her lips with mine. “It was overwhelming.”

“You wanted to claim me in front of Maralice,” I snickered, nibbling on her mouth.

“No, that’s not it. I just had to have you,” she shrugged. Her mind opened up and it wasn’t a possessive mate thing, it was just a need thing. She needed me. She desired me. She had to love me. “Are you upset with me, _ti’ane?_ ”

“No, **_Fíorghrá._** **There are moments that I feel the same way. Do not apologize or think that I’m upset with you for loving me or for me loving you,” I whispered. “Is that what it’s like with the** _El-lak D’nus?_ ”

“Not quite, but pretty close,” she giggled. “Come, we need to meet with N’essie. As much as I want to stay here with you and make love in the comfort of our quarters, we have much to do. Our responsibilities as Emperor and Empress do not go away because our hormones have gone haywire.”

“Your hormones,” I laughed, picking her up and carrying her out of the bath. “I only reacted to you and your sexy little wiggle you did over me.” She continued to giggle, unashamed for her brazen behavior.

We got dressed and walked to the conference room. Inside, the Council of Elders were seated on one side while the Federation captains and N’essie were seated on the other. Dr. Bashir was with her along with his wife, Counselor Ezri Dax. “We apologize for our tardiness. We were delayed this morning but some other pressing matters to attend to prior to this meeting,” I said.

 _You were ‘pressing’ into me,_ Bella snickered mentally.

 _Hush, woman_ , I admonished, pinching her hip.

“How are you, N’essie?” Bella asked, walking over to the woman who had protected her. Her gait was improving, closer to her usual glide. She sat down next to her, taking her hand. “You look much stronger.”

“Dr. Bashir and Counselor Dax have helped me a lot,” she answered, her yellow eyes darting all around the room. “I’ve never felt warm before and on the _Enterprise_ , I feel like I’m cuddled in a warm blanket.”

“Her quarters are quite stifling,” Dr. Bashir laughed. “But, anything to ensure her safety.”

“N’essie, I know that you are trying to come to grips with your enslavement and your treatment by Vruk, but we need to know anything that you can share about the Remans,” Dad said.

“I do not know,” she stammered, tightening her hold on my mate’s hand. “I want to help, but I don’t want to be punished.”

My communicator beeped three times. I looked over at Rose and she was hailing me. I pulled out my tricorder. There was a message from her. _She’s terrified of the Council of Elders. She knows one of them. We need to discuss this without them. That’s why she’s clamming up._

“N’essie, you will not be punished,” Bella said soothingly. “You’re safe here.”

“No, I can’t,” she said, shooting up from her seat and walking to Counselor Dax. She offered her comfort, hugging her tightly. “No, I don’t want to go back. Please, don’t make me go back.” She began prattling in Reman, her hands clutching her ridged head.

“Obviously, she’s in a great deal of distress, Admiral,” Rose chimed in. “Perhaps we can continue this later?”

“Of course. Dr. Bashir, you can take her back to the Enterprise,” Dad nodded.

“Bashir to Enterprise,” Dr. Bashir barked, tapping his communicator. “Three to beam directly to N’essie’s quarters.”

“Understood, sir. Energizing.”

“That’s a shame,” Marcusi frowned. “Something terrified that poor girl. I wonder what it is?” Aro and Caius both scoffed, leaving the room in a hurry. Marcusi arched a brow at them. “There is something going on with them. I don’t know what. Their relationship is strong, but riddled with beads of distrust.”

 _Does Marcusi know about the involvement of his brothers?_ I asked.

 _Not yet._ “Counselor Marcusi, I think we should meet with N’essie aboard the _Enterprise_ ,” Bella explained. “She obviously feels safe there.”

“I shall notify my brothers,” he nodded.

“Without them,” I added.  Marcusi stood taller, confused as to why I wanted to exclude his brothers. “You said it yourself. There is something going on with them.”

“We will beam aboard the _Enterprise_ this afternoon, Marcusi,” Bella said. “Is that alright with you, Captain Picard?”

“Of course, Empress,” Picard replied, nodding gallantly. “From Dr. Bashir’s report on what that woman endured, we need to coddle her a bit. She never had a childhood and she was brutalized from the moment she was able to walk. If you’ll excuse me, I am going exploring. There is an open air market in the capital that is supposed to be the best in this sector.”

“Be sure to go to Vo’rik’s shop. He has some of the best wines on the planet. I know that your family owns a vineyard on Earth, Captain,” Bella smiled. “I read your Federation dossier.”

“I will definitely stop by. I’m always looking for delicious wine,” Picard smiled impishly. “We’ll see you in a few hours.” The Federation personnel left except for my father.

“Marcusi, will you come with us?” Bella asked. “We’ll go to our quarters and we’ll explain to you why we’re being so cryptic.” We walked back to our quarters and Bella made some _tala root_ tea. Marcusi sat down, his brows furrowed. She passed out the tea. “Extra _miranne_ for you, Carlisle.”

“Thank you, Nirabelle,” he smiled.

“So, will you explain to me why we’re excluding my brothers?” Marcusi asked, his eyes flashing in anger.

“Because one of them is in charge of this coup,” I answered succinctly. Marcusi’s eyes widened. “It’s why we sent N’essie away because she recognized one of them and that’s why she thought she was going to be punished.”

“I heard the voice of either Aro or Caius, but I’m not sure which one, on board of the Reman ship,” Bella nodded. “Norex was the sacrificial goat.”

“Sacrificial lamb, Bella,” I snorted.

“Lamb, goat, they’re not the same?’ she asked. I shook my head. “One of your brothers, or even both of them, have been conspiring with the Alphans and Remans. To what end? I’m not sure. But, I think that they may believe that we know. Things may escalate.”

“That’s why we need to talk to N’essie,” I offered. “Without your brothers. She needs to be able to speak freely without fear of retribution.”

“I agree. If I may be so bold, I think it would be beneficial to leave Marcusi out of it all together,” Dad said.

“I don’t agree, Admiral,” Marcusi growled. “My brothers are a part of this and I want to help end it.”

“She doesn’t know that you are not with them, Counselor,” Dad explained. “You can beam aboard the _Enterprise_ , but watch as we interview N’essie from another location.”

“She won’t trust us if we do that. She’s barely holding on by a thread,” Bella said. “Either we bring him up and she’s aware of him or we don’t beam him aboard at all.”

“I want to earn her trust,” Marcusi frowned. “I know it probably won’t happen, but I want to prove to her that I’m not like my brothers. I’m a family man. I love my wife, my children and my people.”

 _Marcusi has children?_ I asked.

_Yes. Three, a daughter and two sons. They are away at school in the southern continent, near Ch’ich. They are training to be diplomats and to become the next Council of Elders._

_I think that the Council of Elders is an antiquated prospect. With what’s happening, you may want to do away with it. Perhaps, use Marcusi as an advisor but utilize the Assembly of Nobles more,_ I suggested. Bella nodded, her fingers threading with mine. “Marcusi, I don’t have any doubts that you want to help N’essie, but she will never trust you. You are guilty by association because of your status as an Elder.”

“I know. Her bonds are extremely close to that Earth doctor and his mate. She trusts you, Empress, but is wary of the Emperor since he is large like her former owner,” Marcusi said, smiling apologetically to me. “She is loyal to you, Emperor, but not like how she is with Dr. Bashir or Counselor Dax or even the Empress.”

“I think that you can beam aboard and try to explain to N’essie that you are not like your brothers and we’ll leave it up to her to decide if you can stay or go,” I suggested. “However, we have to realize that we may not have that much time. With Aro and Caius seeing her, they are probably contacting or finding a way to contact this Alliance to mobilize for the war.”

“Speaking of the Alliance, I have news regarding the Ferengi and Talaxians,” Dad said. “They entertained the idea of joining, but both backed down. The Talaxians are in negotiations to join the Federation and the Ferengi are happily content to be on their own, finding the best way to make a profit.”

“Even if they did enter in with the Alliance, neither one of them could add anything to the Reman technology. Ferengi ships are small with large cargo holds to keep their acquisitions. Not much in the way of weaponry,” I said. “The Talaxians have larger ships, but their defensive capabilities are negligible at best. Their weapons are crude, as well.”

“It’s good that they didn’t join,” Marcusi nodded. “Even with crude weaponry and negligible defenses, they would still be vessels we’d have to fight.”

“Cannon fodder,” Dad snorted. “I think that’s why they declined enrollment. Counselor Marcusi, what do you think about my son’s proposal regarding N’essie?”

“I think it’s an acceptable compromise,” Marcusi said. “Thank you for giving me the chance to apologize to that young woman. No one should be living as a slave.”

“Agreed,” Bella growled. “Now, would you all like something to eat? In our rush to get to the meeting with N’essie, Edward and I neglected to have breakfast.” They nodded and Bella put in an order with the kitchen for a brunch to be delivered. Bella and I told Marcusi about our beliefs regarding the Council of Elders. With all that happened, the idea of the council needed to be changed. Marcusi, of course, would be a trusted advisor but with the betrayal of Aro and Caius, supposedly, we couldn’t allow that to continue. Marcusi agreed and he said he’d pass the word to his children. Bella did promise him that they would have positions in the Imperial Palace, but they would not be the new council.

After our brunch, we checked on Charanel. He was working with Senator J’ran, learning the ins and outs of the Cygnarian legal system. I also saw a tablet with information about the Federation, specifically, Galaxy Fleet. Charanel saw us and he began asking questions about Galaxy Fleet, the requirements to join and how to attend Galaxy Fleet Academy. My father and I told him all about it. He said he wanted to join, perhaps work his way up through the ranks become a captain like me. He wanted to travel among the stars and learn everything.

Through our connection, I felt Bella’s sadness at losing her brother to the stars, but her joy that he had finally discovered his place in the world. He’d always be a royal, a prince and second in line for the throne of Forx until we had children, but he found his purpose. I looked at her, smiling nervously. _I’m okay,_ ti’ane _. I’m happy that he has that option now. It’s just that he will have to go so far away._

“Edward, do you really think that I could get admitted into Galaxy Fleet Academy?” Charanel asked.

“I think so. You have a lot to learn before you can, but by this time next year, you could be the first Cygnarian recruit,” I said.

“And you’ll help me?” he pressed.

“I’ll do better than that. I’ll sponsor you. I’d be your personal tutor and you could complete your first year of academy training here on Forx, with me as your instructor,” I smiled. Charanel let out a whoop, hugging me tightly. “Don’t thank me yet. I’m a tough instructor. It’s hard work. In addition to classes about ships, jump technology, astrometrics and other things related to space travel, there’s a rigorous athletic component, not to mention psychological and psychiatric exams as well.”

“I won’t let you down, _fei’rene,_ ” Charanel breathed.

We left shortly after meeting with Charanel. We beamed aboard the _Enterprise_ and were led to N’essie’s quarters since she was the most comfortable there. When we entered, she was seated between Dr. Bashir and Counselor Dax, gripping the hand of Counselor Dax. N’essie relaxed when she saw Bella but immediately tensed when Marcusi walked in. “You’re safe, N’essie,” Dax murmured, rubbing her hand. “Counselor Marcusi just wants to say a few things before we begin.”

“I mean you no harm, Little One,” Marcusi said, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. “I know you do not trust me, nor do I expect you to. I am not like my brothers. I want this to be resolved peacefully, but it will not happen. I want to know as much as I can so I can help end this, end your suffering and the suffering of your people.”

“Is Counselor Marcusi the man you know?” Dr. Bashir asked.

“No,” N’essie replied. “But, he could tell the other one.”

“N’essie, I can leave and you can have your conversation with Empress Nirabelle, Emperor Edward and the rest of the Federation personnel. I just wanted to apologize and to say that I do not want to hurt you. I want to help you, Little One,” he whispered. “I vow to you, however, that whatever is said this room, will stay in this room.”

“Okay,” she choked out, glaring at Marcusi. We all settled onto various chairs in N’essie’s room and she told us about the Reman Empire. Well, as much as she could. She had very little understanding about how the Remans interacted with each other since she was not educated and treated poorly. I had noticed that her grey mottled skin was free from any bruises and the scars had been removed with the dermal regenerator. She looked healthier, but wary of everything that was going on.

We did learn that the Remans were very similar to the Turulians with their abilities. They were telepathic and extraordinarily strong. However, where the Turulians suppress their emotions, the Remans allowed their emotions to guide their decisions. They were an impulsive species, but extremely smart and ruthlessly deadly. It was also a male dominated caste society. Women were for breeding only and you could only breed with someone in your own caste. There were no marriages. Men took what they wanted from the women and they just allowed it.

After she described what she knew about the Remans, she told them about the Alphans and how the Remans were accelerating their radiation poisoning. The Remans hated the Alphans, but it was their idea to take over Cygnaria Prime and Forx to mine the necessary thalaron ore for their jump reactors.

“So, we have our weakness. The hatred that Remans have for the Alphans,” Jasper muttered. “Do they trust them?”

“No. They are only a means to an end,” N’essie whispered. “The Remans want to work with the Cygnarians. Vruk found them to be enticing to look at and more pleasant to deal with than the Alphans. I saw many Remans with Liannette. She enjoyed it. But not Vruk. He mated with Jakob.”

“I think I threw up in my mouth a little bit,” Rose said flatly.

“You’re not the only one,” Bella shuddered. “I had to smell the aftermath.”

“Enough of this disturbing talk,” Dad growled. “Did you see the Elder who is behind this? You were owned by Legate Vruk. You must have seen his face.”

“It was the one with the evil eyes,” N’essie whispered. “The white hair and glowing red eyes.”

“Caius,” Bella snarled. “His head will join Norex’s. He is a _xytiria._ Whoring himself to the Alliance. He will pay for his betrayal. Edward, send down the Imperial Guard to arrest Caius.”

“We can’t, Empress. Not yet,” Marcusi argued. “While I believe N’essie, there is no proof. There is not any tangible evidence to implicate Caius.”

“He’s right, Bella,” I frowned. “With the other nobles who disappeared, there were the communications in that indecipherable language linking them to the coup. Nothing in Caius’s communication log was there.”

“Maybe he erased it,” she screamed. “I heard him. N’essie saw him. Caius is the one who sold me to Jakob!” I shot up and took my mate into my arms. Her mind was in shambles, upset and angry that we couldn’t do anything to stop Caius. “Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know, Bella,” I soothed, kissing her head.

“I don’t know why my brother would do it, either, Empress, but I will find out,” Marcusi whispered, his eyes swirling with anger.

“Do not do anything rash, Marcusi,” Bella chided. “I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“One thing is for certain. We need to prepare for an attack soon. If Caius is the traitor, the one behind all of this, he must have informed the Alliance now,” Captain Picard said. “Federation vessels are arriving tomorrow and we will work with Wing Commander Bree upon our arrival. For now, prepare your crews for battle.”

We stayed up on the _Enterprise,_ eating dinner with N’essie. She apologized over and over again for not getting proof that Caius was the traitor. Bella put N’essie at ease and they made plans to enroll N’essie into school, give her opportunities that she wouldn’t have had if she had remained on the Reman ship.

That night, I slept uneasily. The threat of the impending war, fear of losing my mate and the uncertainty of Caius’s involvement in the coup weighed heavily on my mind. Bella must have heard my mental musings and we talked for a few hours until we both grew exhausted, letting slumber wash over us as the Cygnarian sun broke over the horizon. But, we didn’t stay asleep for long. An ear piercing scream woke us up. Dressing quickly, we found L’aurien in the throne room sobbing hysterically. Maralice was trying to comfort her, but she was inconsolable.

Nailed on one of the highest beams in the throne room was the battered, broken body of N’essie. Her green blood was dripping onto the floor, right in front of an angrily written note.

**_This is what happens to betrayers, liars and whores. When Jakob is done with you, Nirabelle, you will look the same, if not worse. Your time as the Empress is coming to an end. You will die, as will your weakling human mate. No one is safe. No one._ **

**_Prepare to die, Nirabelle._ **

**_You will not survive this._ **

Bella collapsed against me, crying hysterically. I held her tightly, angry at N’essie’s death and the obvious threat on my mate’s life.

“Emperor, Empress!” yelled D’Metri. He blanched when he saw the grotesque scene in the throne room. “I’m so sorry to disturb you, especially now.”

“What is it, D’Metri?” I asked, cradling my mate in my arms.

“All of the Council of Elders are gone,” he barked. “And from Counselor Marcusi’s quarters, he was taken by force.”

“What about Didyme?” Bella asked.

“She was drugged, but fine,” D’Metri nodded. “But, Counselor Marcusi is in danger.” He looked upward, gulping deeply. “Marked in her blood, there was a message on the floor of Counselor Marcusi’s quarters. He was going to be killed next if you didn’t surrender, Empress.”

Bella stood up, her body vibrating in anger and determination. “I’m not giving up without a fight. No more! We will fight for our world.” She swiped a knife from a display in the throne room. It was ornate and decorated with inlaid blue stones. “With my blood, I will not let my people down.” She cut her hand, clenching it in a tight fist and holding it over the puddle of N’essie’s blood.

“With our blood,” I said, repeating the action with the blade. “We must prepare for war.”

**A/N: And we’re back. I hope you all haven’t forgotten this story. I haven’t either, but personal issues prevented me from working on it. I recently lost my mother to cancer and I had to deal with that. I’m still coming to grips with my emotions, but I find writing to be cathartic.**

**Anyhow, I hope you liked the chapter. This is the calm before the storm. We have the ‘war’ to contend with. It’s not happening next chapter, but it will happen soon. Up next will be Bella and her dealing with the loss of N’essie. She may have not been a major character, but Bella found something in her that she wanted to nurture. Bella has made a blood vow to fight for her people. So, that all comes back to training, learning how to fight and continuing her flying lessons.**

**Updates for _Star Crossed_ will come, hopefully, every two weeks on Thursdays. Teasers will come on the opposite Thursdays when I’m not updating. So, next week, you’ll get a teaser and the following week an update. This update was finished on Sunday almost two weeks ago. Anyhow, I’m trying to build a surplus of chapters so I can maintain that updating schedule. Teasers, pic teasers and such will be posted on my blog. The link for that is on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79. As always, please leave me some positive reinforcement. I do like getting those review emails. AND, I’ll stop talking. Hugs! **

_Ictiiey candy ~ Cygnarian candy that is a harder version of a marshmallow. Think Laffy Taffy, but marshmallow flavored._

_Wie’sceitni amit ~ Cygnarian phrase: “Better than sex.”_ ****  
  


 


	18. Chapter 18

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**We have the ‘war’ to contend with. It’s not happening next chapter, but it will happen soon. Up next will be Bella and her dealing with the loss of N’essie. She may have not been a major character, but Bella found something in her that she wanted to nurture. Bella has made a blood vow to fight for her people. So, that all comes back to training, learning how to fight and continuing her flying lessons.**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**BPOV**

I sat on my throne, glaring up at the rafter that became N’essie’s final resting place. The throne room, after it had been thoroughly investigated, was now clean. The _pirna_ wood floors were now shining in the mid-morning sun. It all looked too innocent, but what we found in that room will forever be burned into my memory. Even in death, N’essie was terrified. Her yellow eyes were open and her mouth was caught in a silent scream, portraying her absolute fear. They would _pay_ for what they did to her. All of them will feel the fear that she endured for her entire life and that ultimately ended it.

I was so angry. Somehow, N’essie had been transported off the _Enterprise_ and down to the surface, tortured and murdered. On top of that, Counselor Marcusi’s life hung in the balance. Aro and Caius had him abducted from his home, disappearing into thin air.

How did they get off the planet?

How did they get N’essie off the _Enterprise_ without causing the alarms to go off?

How could any of this happen and how did I not know about it?

I clenched my hand into a fist, hissing as the sutures tore at my skin. The pain was nothing. I could withstand this pain. It was a reminder of what I needed to do to protect my people. And I would protect them. In my father’s name, in his honor, I’d save the Cygnarian people. For my mate, I’d fight for our love. For N’essie? I will avenge her death and make her captors suffer the same fate by my own hand. “I promise you,” I growled, looking down at the bandage on my palm. The blade I’d used to cut it was safely around my ankle.

Maralice entered the throne room, dressed in another light grey dress with blue accents. “Empress, the necessary arrangements have been made for N’essie,” she said, bowing in front of me. “We will honor her like one of our beloved deceased, performing _H’aaruune_ at sundown today. Her body will be buried among the others lost in the war.”

“No, I want her to be buried in the family crypt, Maralice,” I frowned. N’essie was not just another fallen soldier. She protected me aboard that Reman ship. She needed _more_. “N’essie trusted me and that trust got her killed. She should be among people who would have loved her. I want my mother and father to protect her as she rests eternally.”

“Of course, Empress. I will make the arrangements,” Maralice murmured. “You should eat.”

“I can’t,” I muttered, my gaze moving skyward back to the rafter. “I’m too upset to eat.”

“You need to be strong for your people. They are looking to you for guidance, Nirabelle,” Maralice chided. “They are just as lost as you. Two of their Elders have been conspiring with the enemy, taking the third. There has been a gruesome murder inside the palace and there’s war on the horizon. You also need to prepare to fight, Nirabelle.”

“I know,” I sighed, playing with the braid that hung over my shoulders. I closed my eyes, pinching my nose. It was a gesture that I have seen Edward do and I now know why. It relieves the pressure that has settled between my eyes. Slightly. With an angry huff, I asked, “Have you heard anything from Edward?”

“He’s working with authorities, trying to find any clues about how Aro and Caius got off the planet. Jasper is working with Captain Picard to determine how they got N’essie off the _Enterprise_ ,” Maralice said. “Obviously, she was transported. From where is what they’re trying to figure out? There was a residual transporter trace, but the origin is unclear.”

“It’s not from the surface?” I asked.

“No, Nirabelle,” Maralice frowned. Her communicator chirped from her belt. Tapping it, she responded, “This is Maralice.”

“I’m aboard the _Enterprise_ , Maralice,” came the deep voice of Captain Whitlock. “They are missing one of their aeroshuttles. There was an unauthorized transport that occurred when the Emperor and Empress came aboard to talk to N’essie with Counselor Marcusi. We combed through pages of sensor readings before we found the transport. It was embedded deep in the system.”

“Was it Aro and Caius?” I asked, gripping the arms of my throne. My hand throbbed as I slapped my palms onto the hard wood.

“Empress, I didn’t know that you were with Envoy Maralice,” Captain Whitlock stuttered. “And yes, we believe that it was Aro and Caius who transported up to the _Enterprise._ It was convoluted, using the _Intrepid’s_ transporter, but they somehow stowed away aboard an aeroshuttle in the _Enterprise’s_ shuttle bay.”

“Aeroshuttle?” I asked.

“It’s a much larger shuttlecraft, with a maximum jump speed of six-point-two. However, now that we know what they took, we’re able to track them and know their every move,” Captain Whitlock said. “Hold on.” He transported down and he held a tablet. “Whitlock to Emperor Cullen,” he said, tapping his communicator.

“Cullen here,” Edward said.

“Can you join me in the throne room?” Captain Whitlock ordered.

“On my way,” Edward replied. He arrived a few moments later, dressed casually in a pair of gray cargo pants and a navy blue top. “What did you find out, Jasper?”

“As I was telling Maralice and Empress Nirabelle is that there was an unauthorized transport, using the _Intrepid’s_ transporter onto the _Enterprise._ Aro and Caius stowed away in an aeroshuttle, stealing it from the shuttle bay. Tapping into the aeroshuttle’s computers remotely we were able to determine when the shuttle was stolen, where it went and what happened,” Captain Whitlock explained. He handed the tablet to Edward.

“So, the unauthorized transport occurred when we transported up to the _Enterprise_ ,” Edward murmured. “Roughly six hours later, they used the shuttle to cause some sort of malfunction in the _other_ shuttle bay so they could launch without being detected.”

“Where did they go?” I asked.

“They transported N’essie from her quarters into one of the holding cells in the shuttle,” Edward frowned. “With the shields down, it wouldn’t have been detected since no one was transported onto the ship, just off.”

“But, she was under the protection of the Federation,” I growled. “Why didn’t they know? Why didn’t they shield her room? She was terrified of being punished, of being caught, Edward. Something should have been done to protect her!”

“We don’t put citizens asking for asylum under lock and key, Empress,” Captain Whitlock muttered. “If we put shielding around her quarters, she wouldn’t have the freedom to explore the ship. She wasn’t a prisoner. And since we are orbiting a planet which we have an alliance with, our shields typically remain down. They take a lot of power to maintain.”

“I know that it’s not something that you want to hear, but it’s standard protocol, Bella,” Edward said softly, his hand cupping my cheek. Just like my hand, he wore a bandage from our blood oath. We couldn’t use a dermal regenerator to heal it. It was the custom that you wear the scar of a blood oath until you die.

“Why didn’t the alarms go off when they transported aboard?” I growled, my temper flaring.

“They weren’t ‘transporting’ from the surface, but from another ship. No alarms would have gone off,” Edward said. “Do you remember the night before last? When I went up to the _Volvo_ to get the supplies for the s’mores? Jasper was notified since I transported from the surface. If I had transported from the _Enterprise_ or any other Federation ship, he wouldn’t have known.”

“Okay,” I huffed, scowling at the explanation. “You may want to reexamine that protocol.”

“We are, Empress. I promise you,” Captain Whitlock said, nodding curtly.

“I should hope so,” Edward grumbled, moving so he was next to me. He looked down and I got up. He sat on my throne, holding me in his lap. _You looked like you needed some cuddling. I am so sorry for the loss of N’essie, Bella._

 _I know,_ ti’ane _. And thank you for the cuddles,_ I thought to him, leaning my forehead to his temple. He tightened his arms around my waist, looking back at Captain Whitlock.

“After N’essie was taken from the _Enterprise,_ they laid in a synchronous orbit above the capital, just above the troposphere. They transported into Marcusi’s quarters. While they were there, they killed N’essie, drugged Didyme and kidnapped Marcusi before transporting N’essie to her perch in the rafters. That, however, is a hypothesis since we do not have concrete proof that happened, only their transporter logs. The hypothesis fits since N’essie wasn’t physically put up in the rafters, but transported.”

“What do we do now?” I asked.

“That’s up to you. I know that you are having _H’aaruune_ tonight at sundown for N’essie, but in regards to chasing after them for what they did, that might not be a wise decision,” Captain Whitlock said, wrinkling his nose. “My suggestion, and almost all of us Galaxy Fleet personnel agree, is to wait for them to come to us. Almost of all of the outlying outposts in the Cygnarian system have been evacuated, the colonists will be brought here. The Cygnarian battle fleet will meet up with the incoming Federation vessels and form a defense perimeter just outside of the Cygnarian system. The Imperial Fleet, along with the remaining Federation ships will surround Forx, protecting the planet from any landing parties.”

“That’s a solid plan. Are you planning on keeping them off the planet?” Edward asked.

“Affirmative. If we do not succeed, the Imperial Guard and several thousand MACOs will be on the planet’s surface at all of the major cities, protecting the capital buildings,” Jasper said, pointing to six major cities on the main continent. “There will also be ten Imperial fighters at each city. We’re fitting them with a special form of shielding that can protect the surface. It’s something that Charanel designed. It’s kind of … cool.”

“What is it?” I asked, intrigued at what my brother created.

“On each wing of the attack fighter, there is a shield emitter. Nine fighters will form a perimeter around the city, with the tenth fighter at its zenith, just above the city. Connecting the emitters, a stasis field will protect the cities from any attack until the field collapses. It’s like the shield emitters around a starship, but mobile,” Jasper said, pointing out the intricacies of the field. “It’s quite ingenious, really.”

“And what about us?” Edward questioned. “You certainly do not think that I’m staying in the Imperial Palace while this is going on.”

“No. I’ve spoken with Wing Commander Bree. You and Bella will be aboard the _Cygnarus_. It’s the flag ship of the Imperial Fleet. You will have a vessel at your command, Edward. You will be in charge of the Cygnarian battle cruisers along with the Imperial fighters that are protecting Forx. Captain Picard is in charge of the Federation fleet here surrounding the planet. Captain Riker is heading out to the edge of the Cygnarian system to work with the Cygnarian battle fleet and incoming Federation vessels,” Captain Whitlock explained, his voice no nonsense and his eyes sharp. “Now, the one thing we don’t know is the timeline.”

“With this aeroshuttle, how long will it take for them to reach Alphan space or Reman?” I questioned. “It’s slower than the _Volvo._ And how will the ships on the border know when the Remans are coming?”

“It will take a week and a half, two weeks for the ship to reach Alphan space. That’s if they can get the ship to its maximum jump speed. Aro and Caius don’t seem like they were capable pilots. The bulkheads in the shuttle bay were a little banged up,” Captain Whitlock snorted.

“I bet Jean-Luc loved that,” Edward snickered.

“Not really. He’s making the crewmen repaint the walls,” Jasper laughed. “In regards to the incoming ships, we can decloak them. Again, thanks to your brother, Empress. He gave us a way to track the Reman ships with the laron wakes they leave. To counteract their cloak, we have an electrostatic charge that we shoot toward the wakes. It will light up the Reman vessels and we can open fire, targeting their most vulnerable spots on their ships.”

“Will the Remans know about the charges shot at them?” Maralice asked, her spots glowing as she stared at Captain Whitlock.

“Once we start firing on them, yes,” Captain Whitlock replied, smiling softly at Maralice, his own cheeks flooding with color. “We won’t give up without a fight, Maralice.” His grin widened and Maralice ducked behind her long hair. Captain Whitlock shook his head. “What have you discovered in Marcusi’s quarters?”

“Your hypothesis holds true. There was a struggle and every surface was covered with N’essie’s blood. However, based on the forensics, there was another person in the quarters besides an unconscious Didyme, Marcusi, Aro, Caius and N’essie. There was a sixth DNA sample mixed in with N’essie’s blood,” Edward said, his eye brows pulled together in confusion.

“Was the blood Cygnarian?” I questioned.

“We don’t know. It was degraded. But, whoever killed Nessie was injured too,” Edward said. “Has Rose completed her autopsy?”

“She and Dr. Bashir are working with Kunnan as we speak. Maybe she got a piece of her killer,” Captain Whitlock said. He clasped his hands behind his back. “For now, we grieve for her loss and honor her with the _H’aaruune Ne’irite._ Tomorrow, we prepare for battle. Lieutenant Morgainne, Lieutenant Commander Anderson and Commander Volturi will be working with the three of you tomorrow aboard the _Cygnarus_.”

“When we win, I want to be the one to kill Jakob and Vruk,” I snarled, rubbing my wound. “I want you to show me how.”

“We will work in the holodeck to make that happen, Empress,” Captain Whitlock replied, his face hardening and his smile deadly. “Tomorrow, though, you need to familiarize yourself with your vessel. We will work on hand-to-hand combat.”

“And I want to learn how to fly,” I nodded.

“We have a lot to do and we will try and get it all done, Bella,” Edward said softly, his thumb rubbing gently on my hip. “We will channel all of that anger in here, refocusing it to end this war. Jakob, Vruk, Liannette … they will rue the day they ever crossed paths with you. I promise you. I promise our people.”

“Our people,” I murmured. “You called them our people.”

“I may be human, but my heart and body belongs to a Cygnarian, therefore, I am Cygnarian,” he smiled, running his finger down my cheek and caressing my spots. “Maybe I’ll get a tattoo with spots so I can blend in.”

“No, you are perfect,” I said, throwing my arms around him. _I love you, whether you are human, Cygnarian or a giant green blob. You are my mate, my true love and I’m so grateful to have you by my side throughout all of this._

“Empress,” Maralice interrupted. “I’m sorry to break you apart from your mate, but since we are giving N’essie the highest honors, you need to get ready. I’ve sent L’aurien home since she was so upset. My handmaiden, Tia, will assist you.”

“Thank you, Maralice,” I nodded. “Edward, D’Metri will help you for the ceremony. You will need to wear all white and be cleansed with a special ointment. D’Metri will tell you want you must do.”

“This is different than what we did on _H’Nan?_ ” Edward frowned.

“Yes. What was performed on _H’Nan_ was a memorial. You will see the full _H’aaruune_ today at sundown,” I said, getting up from his lap. “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ We will meet at the cliffs looking over the Renien Ocean.”

“ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” he replied, his mind swirling with confusion.

I walked to Maralice and we went to my suite. “Are you alright, Empress?” Maralice asked.

“No. I am still filled with so much anger, but with Edward, I hope I can refocus that anger into something useful,” I sighed, removing my simple clothing. “Are you alright? You are no longer wearing your clothes of mourning.”

“I spoke with my beloved Jamel’s brother, Laur’ent. I told him about what had happened to me on Lapus. Laur’ent was not upset with me and he apologized for my ordeal. Then, I told him all about Jasper and how he helped me. Laur’ent, he … he gave me his blessing to be happy. He said that Jamel would not have wanted me to live my life alone. Before the discovery of N’essie, Jasper asked if he could court me. Take me out on dates and build a relationship. We are mates, but he is a … what did he call it? Oh, right. A Southern Gentleman.”

“I’m happy for you, Maralice,” I said, hugging her.

“I am excited, but I still harbor some guilt for moving on. I would like some sort of sign from Jamel that he is okay with me being with Jasper,” she said, running her fingers through my curls. “Now, you need to bathe. Jerasse and Tia will be in here in a couple of hours to prepare you for N’essie’s _H’aaruune._ Be careful with your wound.”

I nodded and watched as she left. Once she was gone, I began my preparations for _H’aaruune_. I stripped my body of my clothes. I prayed to my Gods, my family and my lost friend as I methodically rubbed the _s’likoya_ oil on my skin, making it flame a warm, rosy pink. The oil burned my skin, reminding me that I was very much alive. I cried as the oil came in contact with my wound on the palm of my hand. I clenched my hand into a fist and poured water over my hair. I sat in the sun, shivering as the water dried around me.

Once it was dry, I began the ritual again with a stronger elixir of _s’likoya_ mixed with _lysa_. I was sobbing by the time Jerasse and Tia came to bathe me, freeing my skin of the burning sensation of the oils. They cleaned my body, using large sponges and the pain of loss slowly ebbed from me. It gave me solace that Edward was going through the same ritual.

The last time I went through a full _H’aaruune_ was when my father died. Charanel did not understand the process and he did not have to be cleansed as I did. I felt like my skin was boiling off my body, my grief was so great, with the loss of my father.

My skin was cleaned of the oils and glistened in the waning sunlight. “Empress, we must drain your tub,” Tia whispered. “And you must stay standing until we dress you.”

I nodded and watched as the water in the tub went down the drain. I shivered uncontrollably as my skin dried, shimmering with the residual crystals of the oils. Jerasse dried my hair and tied it into a tight braid falling down my back. Weaved into my hair, I wore a simple circlet with _ajur_ stone. I would wear this circlet for a month, honoring my friend. When father died, I wore a circlet with an _amur_ stone, honoring the loss of a family member. I wore that until I left Forx to fly to Lapus. Maralice told me to wear my Imperial _ioti_ circlet, reminding Jakob of my status.

Jerasse helped me into my white mourning gown and Tia deftly applied simple makeup, including a smaller _ajur_ stone between my eyes. Around my wrists and ankles, I wore _ajur_ stone bracelets. Once I was ready, I walked out of my bathroom and out to the throne room. I wore no shoes. I wanted to feel every pebble, every crevice as we walked to the cliffs overlooking the Renien Ocean. Edward greeted me. His face was somber as I looked up at him. His hair was tamed and on his head, he wore a matching _ajur_ stone circlet. He, too, was barefoot. We turned to face the crowd of dignitaries, nobles and visiting Federation personnel.

“Tonight, we honor a fallen friend, N’essie,” I intoned. “Her death was a needless one, as are all of the deaths associated with this war. She was under our protection and we have failed her. She will be welcomed into eternal rest in the arms of my parents and our Gods.” I chanted the beginning of the _H’aaruune Ne’irite,_ before taking my mates hand. Together, we began our long walk to the Renien Cliffs. The crowd assembled behind us as we ventured out into the Imperial City. The roads were lined with people, all wearing white and all crying for the loss of N’essie. I held my chin up high, trying to keep my own emotions at bay.

 _I’m surprised at the amount of people, Bella,_ Edward thought to me.

 _It’s not every day that there’s a murder in the Imperial Throne Room,_ I said, keeping my face impassive.

 _That’s not it, Bella. They love you. They are supporting you. You lost a friend and they are honoring her. Look at all of them with the lanterns. The sky will be twinkling with them,_ he whispered mentally.

I nodded, allowing one tear to track down my cheek as we turned to the right, walking toward the cliff face. Senator J’ran and Charanel were waiting for us there, holding two lanterns. They both wear the same white outfit as my mate, with a long white coat and white loose pants. Didyme was standing next to Senator J’ran. Didyme looked like _vwesk._ Her skin was mottled with bruises and her lip was torn. On top of that, her green eyes were dead, empty. She was at a loss without her mate, Marcusi.

I took the lantern from my brother while Edward took the lantern from Senator J’ran. The senator turned and he raised his hands above his head, chanting the _H’aaruune Ne’irite._ All throughout the city, I heard my people echo the words of the solemn prayer of loss, love and eternal rest. Edward took my hand, threading our fingers together as the prayer came to its completion. With a gentle squeeze, we raised our lanterns and let the soft winds carry them off our hands. I wanted nothing more than to scream in anguish of this hateful loss. She was in our protection. We should not be mourning her.

Edward’s hand squeezed mine. I looked over at him, seeing his eyes glazed over with unshed tears. I felt a little better knowing he was as upset as me. We stood on the edge of the precipice, overlooking the Renien Ocean until the last lantern disappeared, well over three hours.

“Empress, we have prepared N’essie’s final resting place,” Senator J’ran said. “If you would like to come and make sure it meets with your approval.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, sliding my feet into some loose slippers. I knew my feet were cut to shreds. I’d worry about that later. However, Senator J’ran thought ahead and ushered us into a waiting hover car, driving us back to the palace. Kunnan was inside of the car with a dermal regenerator to heal mine and Edward’s torn up feet.

Arriving at the palace, we walked in the same direction of the Imperial Moon Garden. A few hundred meters past it, I pressed my hand to the crypt that held my parents and our ancestors. The door opened and we walked down a dimly lit set of stairs to a subterranean garden, filled with similar plants as the Moon Garden, but thrived in the darkness. The air was chilled and so very still. In the center of the oddly shaped room, there was a raised platform with a white carved casket. Placed in the center of the casket was a matching _ajur_ stone, glittering with intricate facets. I walked to the casket, pressing my hand to the stone. Edward laid his hand atop of mine.

“Thank you,” I whispered to him. “For being here for me.”

“You are my life, Bella. I want nothing more than to be by your side,” he whispered back.

I nodded, pressing down on the stone. The casket was transported into the crypt just across from my father. “Do you want to meet my family?” I asked, smiling shyly. “I know that …”

“I’d be honored,” Edward said, taking my hand. We walked to father’s crypt and I introduced my mate to him. Edward spoke quietly to my father, vowing his protection and unending love. He did the same when he ‘met’ my mother and he placed a _kinka_ flower next to her crypt.

“That was her favorite flower, Edward,” I blushed. “She would have adored you.”

“Well, I adore her daughter,” Edward said, hugging me close to his body. “Do you want to stay down here?”

“Just a few more moments,” I said, looking back at N’essie’s crypt. “I want to say goodbye.”

“Do you want me to give you a few moments?” he asked, his fingers gliding down my spots. I nodded. He kissed me tenderly, walking up the steps. I prayed for her and promised her justice. Pressing my hand that I had cut with the blade, I leaned against her crypt.

 **“** With my blood, I will not let my people down. With my blood, I will not let you down,” I vowed. “I promise you, N’essie.” I kissed her crypt and walked up the stairs. My mate was waiting for me. He opened his arms and I fell into them. I would allow myself tonight to grieve, but tomorrow, we’d prepare for battle.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The next morning, Edward and I woke up at dawn. He sent a communication to Senator J’ran, asking him to join us for first meal. After we dressed in light gray clothes of mourning, we went down to the dining room. Maralice, Charanel, D’Metri and Senator J’ran were waiting for us. We were served and we ate our breakfast. Once the plates were cleared, Edward took my hand.

“I asked all of you here because I trust you. I’m certain that you’ve heard about what’s happening and that we are going to war. With my military experience, I’m in command of the Cygnarian flagship, _Cygnarus_. Wing Commander Bree looked at my Galaxy Fleet Dossier and said that my expertise was better than most of the captains in the Imperial Fleet. However, I need a crew I can trust. Senator J’ran, you were once the Wing Commander of the Imperial Fleet. I’d be honored if you were my first officer,” Edward smiled.

“It would be a privilege, Emperor,” Senator J’ran nodded, his spots glowing with surprise.

“D’Metri, you and Maralice are going to be my communications officers. There will be a lot of chatter between the vessels. Maralice, you will listen to Federation channels and D’Metri, you will listen to Cygnarian channels,” Edward said. They both nodded in agreement. “Charanel, I need your ingenuity. You are going to work with Rose, my sister, Elizabeth and Lieutenant Commander Anderson. You’re my science and tactical team. You and Rose will head up that team.”

“I didn’t expect that you would want me there,” Charanel said, his eyes wide.

“Consider it the beginning of your Galaxy Fleet training, cadet,” Edward winked. He turned to me. “And you, will be by my side, making decisions for our people. I’ll probably have you focus your attention on the Imperial Fighters.”

“When are we going to transport aboard the _Cygnarus?_ ” Maralice asked.

“We’re going to take the Empress’s Imperial Fighter to fly us to Cygnaria Prime. We’ll dock inside and launch the _Cygnarus_ this afternoon,” Edward smiled. He was excited to be in charge of a vessel once again.

“Are all of the battle cruisers from the Imperial Fleet launching at the same time?” I questioned. Edward nodded, showing me on a tablet the procedures that he figured out with Wing Commander Bree. “When did you have time to do this?”

“Before I began the cleansing ritual, I sent a hail to Wing Commander Bree and we made the arrangements,” Edward said. “We also discussed plans for a battle in space. She’s very good at what she does and I think I finally earned her respect.” I harrumphed, still irked at Wing Commander Bree’s dismissive tone the first time she met my mate. “We’ll depart from the surface in two hours. Pack your bags for an extended stay aboard the _Cygnarus_.” Everyone left, leaving me and Edward in the dining room. “I can feel your ire toward the Wing Commander.”

“She disrespected you, Edward. It will be a long time before she is on my good side,” I growled. “If. Ever.” Edward frowned, pulling me from my seat and wrapping me in his arms. At first, I sat stiffly in his embrace and then I melted against his body. I buried my nose into his neck, inhaling his clean, masculine scent.

“Bella, we need to set aside our differences so we can win this,” Edward murmured, his hand twisting in the ends of my braid.

“There are differences and there is disrespect,” I snapped, pushing back from him.

 _Please, calm down,_ Fíorghrá, he thought to me, his hand trailing down my cheek. _You are so angry and I understand it. Do not take it out on the wing commander._

“I make no promises,” I hissed. He frowned, cupping my face with both hands. _And don’t go acting all romantic to calm me down. I need this anger._

“Okay, Bella,” he said, kissing my forehead. “Let’s pack our bags and go to the cliffs. I’ll show you how to do a pre-launch test and teach you how to handle the instruments on your attack fighter.” I nodded, getting up off his lap. Together, we walked to our suite and packed our bags. I ignored the fancy dresses and finery of an empress, choosing leggings, tunics and comfortable clothing. Edward noticed my attire and he pursed his lips. “Good idea, but I think you might want some sturdier pants than leggings. You need pockets to hide things.”

“What do you suggest?” I asked.

“Now, they are for functionality, _not_ fashion,” he said, unfolding a pair of his cargo pants. “I know I can replicate you several pairs in your size.”

“I like them,” I nodded, running my fingers over the light grey material.

He tapped his communicator. “Cullen to Halé.”

“Halé here,” she chirped.

“Can you please replicate five pairs of light gray cargo pants, similar to mine, and bring them down to the surface when you transport to the Imperial Fighters? In Bella’s size?” Edward asked.

“Oh, so she’s adopting your unique lack of style?” Rose quipped.

“Only for the time being, Rosalie,” Edward growled playfully. “Her empress garb isn’t necessarily suited for battle.”

“Understood, sir,” Rose said. “I’ll replicate those, along with a few other items that will be suited to her needs. I’ll be down in a couple of hours.”

“Understood. Cullen out.”

“Rose does not like those types of pants?” I asked.

“No. She thinks they’re thick and bulky. I prefer to wear them when I’m not in uniform since they feel like the uniform,” he shrugged.

“Do you miss it? Galaxy Fleet?” I frowned.

“I miss the exploration and the predictability of being on a star ship. I don’t miss being away from you or being lonely,” he murmured, walking to me and enfolding me in his arms. _I haven’t decided what I’m doing, but I know that I can’t be away from you._ “Commanding the _Cygnarus_ will be interesting and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

“The _Cygnarus_ could become our ship. We could explore the galaxy, Edward,” I suggested.

“That does have some positive merits,” he smiled, leaning down to kiss me tenderly. “Now, we’ve got a lot to do. I would like you to be able to pilot the Imperial Fighter out of the Renien shuttle bay.”

“You’re not serious?” I squeaked.

“I’m serious. Do you doubt my teaching skills?” he asked, arching a brow. “You’ll be able to do it, Nirabelle. I have no doubt about that.” I still was unsure about his lofty goal. He kissed my nose before tossing our bags over his shoulder. We walked through the throne room. I aid a silent prayer to N’essie as we passed below the rafter she was crushed against. Edward squeezed my hand and led me to the waiting hover car.

We arrived at the Renien Shuttle Bay. Edward led me to the attack fighter, tossing our bags into the cargo hold of the attack fighter. Then, Edward spent the next hour or so going over all of the instrumentation on the fighter’s console. By the time Rose, Charanel, Senator J’ran, Maralice and D’Metri joined us, I was able to navigate the controls with ease. However, I did not feel comfortable in pushing it through the atmosphere in Forx. After a brief argument, Edward said he’d launch the fighter, but I would navigate us to Cygnaria Prime once we cleared the atmosphere.

Four hours later, we arrived at Cygnaria Prime. Edward sent a hail to the shipyard, requesting permission to dock. Wing Commander Bree lowered the security field and told us to dock the fighter inside of the _Cygnarus._ I bit back my angry thoughts about Wing Commander Bree. My mate must have heard my thoughts because he gave me a wry look as he took over the controls. He flew the fighter to the largest battle cruiser inside of the shipyard. He pressed a few buttons, opening the shuttle bay doors and easily landing the fighter in the shuttle bay.

We got off the fighter and we were greeted by the wing commander and her sisters. She saluted Edward and me. “Sir, we’re ready to pass control of the _Cygnarus_ over to you,” Bree said. “It’s under my control, at the moment. We’ll need to go to the bridge to complete the process.”

“After you, Wing Commander,” Edward said, gesturing to her. She turned on her heel with her sisters following behind her. We did the same, riding up the turbolift to the bridge. It was three times the size of the _Volvo’s_ bridge, with twice as many crewmen. Wing Commander Bree had Edward scan his palm and then he completed a retinal scan. A few voice commands and the massive flagship _Cygnarus_ was now in his control.

“Let me show you your quarters,” Bree said.

“I need to upload some information into the ship’s computer,” Edward said, taking out a tablet from his bag. “Some diagnostic and tactical information. It’s stuff we need from the Galaxy Fleet ships.”

“We’ll go, Wing Commander,” Maralice nodded. I looked at Edward and he was working, his fingers flying over the console at the center of the room. “Come, Empress.”

I sighed, following Bree to the turbolift. She pointed out various quarters and assigned them to everyone, leaving me for last. The tension between us was thick. I knew I was being standoffish, but she had disrespected my mate. “These are your quarters, Empress. For you and the Emperor.”

I nodded, barely acknowledging her as I slipped past her.

“Empress?”

“Yes,” I answered, clenching my hands.

“I get the distinct impression that you don’t like me,” she said, her eyes narrowed.

“I don’t. You disrespected my mate, publically,” I spat. “You see him as an _outsider_. Regardless of whether or not he’s an outsider, he is Cygnarian. He is willing to die for our people. I do not think I could ever forgive you for what you think about my mate. You respect him _now._ After you’ve read his decorated Galaxy Fleet dossier.”

“Empress, I was mistaken with my actions. Emperor Edward, Galaxy Fleet captain or not, is a good man. I saw that he wasn’t Cygnarian and I spoke without thinking …”

“Exactly. You weren’t thinking,” I snarled. “Edward may have forgiven you, but I do not trust you. The only peope I trust is my mate, my brother and Envoy Maralice. I should have demoted you.”

“Please, Empress, don’t do that,” she frowned. “I worked hard for this position. I have a tendency to not think before I speak, but I’m good at what I do for the Imperial Fleet.”

“Well, that is no longer your concern,” I smirked. “For the remainder of this ordeal, Emperor Edward is in charge. You control your own ship, but Edward controls the Imperial Fleet, including this battle cruisers and Imperial Fighters. If you’ve proven yourself a worthy ally, you will regain control of the fleet after the end of this war. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Empress,” she whispered, her posture defeated. “I’ll head to the remaining ship. We’re still finishing it up. We’re testing the engines before we leave the shipyard. May I be excused?”

I waved my hand and watched as she stomped away. Rose poked her head out of her quarters. “You ripped her a new asshole, Nirabelle,” Rose snickered. “She’s feeling pretty shitty right now.”

“She should,” I said, gesturing for Rose to join me in our quarters. They were extravagant and over-the-top. I knew if we were going to do more space traveling, I’d redecorate and simplify. I told Rose about our first meeting and how she talked about Edward, assuming he wasn’t important because he was just an _outsider_. Rose understood my ire, but said that I was being slightly irrational.

“When you met her, you were recovering from a tremendous physical and emotional ordeal. You wore your feelings on your sleeve, correct?”

“Why would I wear them on my sleeve?” I asked, confused at the phrase.

“They were close to the surface,” Rose explained. “Now? You’re dealing with the loss of N’essie. All of this happened within a span of a week, Bella. Your emotions are swirling out of control. You look composed, but I feel your fear of Jakob and Vruk, your anxiety for Counselor Marcusi, your distrust of Bree and your anger about the death of N’essie. You are a hot mess, Bella. You need to talk to someone.”

“I know!” I barked, thrusting my hands against my temples. “I know. I just _can’t_. Not now. I’ll speak with Tal, Kunnan’s mate after all of this is over.”

“You can talk to me, Bella. Even though I was your doctor, I am still your friend,” Rose smiled, tugging on my hand. We sat down on a huge sofa. “Now, tell me everything.”

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We talked for hours and she helped me so much with her words, her support and her empathic gift. A lot of what I was dealing with would be eliminated once the threat of the Alliance was squashed. Hopefully, Jakob and Vruk would be killed in the process, thus removing that anxiety. Rose did say that it would take time for me to heal fully from my abduction and that my trust issues may never go away.

“All hands, this Emperor Edward Cullen, commanding officer of the Imperial Fleet flagship, _Cygnarus._ I need all senior staff to the bridge and all crews to prepare for departure,” Edward said over the comm.

“That’s us,” Rose said. We got up and walked back to the bridge. The _Cygnarus_ was so much larger than the _Volvo_. I was easily turned around. Thankfully, Rose knew where she was going and we managed to get to the bridge.

Edward was standing in front of his center console, dressed in a pair of gray cargo pants and navy blue shirt and jacket. Pinned to his jacket was communicator. It was a simplified version of the Imperial Crest. Everyone on the bridge had one. Charanel was dressed the same as Edward, standing up tall at the science console. I smiled brightly at that.

My mate walked to me, handing me my communicator. “For you, love,” he said, pinning it to my shirt. “All of the ships are getting them now. We’re also working on the uniform. I’m too tall for a jumpsuit.”

“Captain,” Rose smirked. “We need to rendezvous with the _Enterprise._ Your sister wasn’t ready to depart when I transported down.”

“Understood, Rose,” he nodded. With a crooked smile, he led me to a seat to his right. It was smaller and obviously designed for me. He sat next to me, nodding at Senator J’ran, who was at the helm. “Please inform the shipyard that we are prepared for departure. All crews have checked in and are ready to go.”

“We are cleared for launch, Emperor,” Senator J’ran said, his fingers flying deftly over the controls.

“Bella, would you like to do the honors?” Edward asked, his fingers threading through mine.

“What do I say?” I whispered, my eyes wide.

“Whatever you want, Bella. There’s no protocol on taking a ship out on its maiden voyage,” Edward snickered. I bit my lip, shaking my head. “Come on, Empress. This is your ship.”

“Our ship,” I argued. I blushed, looking out the view screen. The ship was waiting for my command. “Senator J’ran, take her out.”

“Understood, Empress,” he laughed. “Releasing docking clamps and activating maneuvering thrusters.”

“Ahead one-eighth impulse, Senator,” Edward said. “Once we’ve cleared the atmosphere, set rendezvous course with the _Enterprise_ in orbit of Forx. We need to pick up my sister.”

“Aye, sir,” Senator J’ran nodded, moving us forward slowly. “We’ll be in orbit of Forx in four hours, Emperor.”

“Excellent,” Edward smiled, settling back on his seat. I watched eagerly as the shipyard disappeared and we eased out into a deep ravine inside of Cygnaria Prime. The ship slowly descended, moving closer to the twinkling stars and shuddered as we went through the atmosphere. Once we were clear of the atmosphere, Senator J’ran put in a course and I felt my body push against the leather seat. “Senator, Bella and I are going to my office. I want to check on those tactical upgrades I input into the computer. You have the bridge.”

We got up, walking to the office just off the bridge. Once the door was closed, he led me to a comfy-looking sofa. He sat down and held me on his lap. “I heard you ream out Bree,” Edward chided. “That and she told me.”

“I’m not sorry for doing that,” I scoffed.

“I know, Bella. I also know that you spoke with Rose,” he murmured, his hand toying with my braid. “Did talking to her help?”

“Yes. A little. It will be a long process before I feel _normal_ ,” I frowned. “I like what you did with the Imperial Crest.”

“And I had to change the uniform. Charanel and I both put it on and we were wearing floods,” he grumped.

“Floods?” I asked.

He stuck his leg out and pulled up his pant leg around his ankle. “High waters, floods, too-short pants. We’re giving all of the officers who are lieutenant commanders or higher to change their uniform. Most of them like what I came up with and are planning to change them to the gray pants and navy shirt and jacket.”

“I think you look handsome, but I love a man in uniform,” I giggled, nibbling on his ear. “What are we going to do once we rendezvous with the _Enterprise_ and the rest of the Federation ships?”

“Status check and then begin preparing for battle,” Edward said. “This uncertainty about the timeline concerns me. And Marcusi, he must be a mess.”

“If he’s still alive,” I frowned. “It doesn’t surprise me that they kidnapped him. He supported us from the beginning.”

“Did Aro and Caius know about Didyme? About her parentage?” Edward asked.

“I don’t think so. If they did, they probably would have killed Didyme instead of N’essie,” I snarled, my temper snapping. Edward tightened his arms around me, nuzzling my neck. I melted against him. _I can’t wait until this is over. When we can go away, just the two of us without the threat of war, death and destruction._

“We will, Nirabelle. I promise you. I want to take you to Earth. I want to show you my home planet and a few awesome places along the way. Eventually, I want more, too,” he whispered, pressing his hand to my flat tummy. “I can’t wait until you’re free of that contraceptive shot.” _We need to focus on the positive, Bella. We have to. If we dwell on the negative, it will consume us. You are too good to be consumed by negativity._ “Now, we have some work to do. I want to be familiar with all of the systems of this vessel before we engage in battle.” He handed me his tablet. “Quiz me.”

I giggled and quizzed my mate on the components of the ship. The answers he got right, he earned a kiss. The answers that were incorrect resulted in me moving away from him. His impetus to get the right answers kept me firmly in his arms, even if he had to pick out the answer from my head. It was a silly game, but Edward was versed in his ship, even if it was on ‘paper.’

“J’ran to Cullen. We’re approaching Forx. The _Enterprise_ is hailing us.”

“We’re on our way to the bridge, Senator,” Edward said, dropping a soft kiss to my lips. I got up and we went out to the bridge. “On screen.”

“That is quite a vessel, Emperor,” Captain Picard smirked. “It dwarfs the _Enterprise._ ”

“In size and in speed, sir,” Edward chuckled. “We’ve got you beat by point two jump factors. Is my sister ready to transport over?”

“She’s waiting in transporter room one. She had to finish talking to your mother and verifying the findings from the Cygnarian archives. We received some information from the Turulian merchant who acted as the intermediary with the _marchesian_ stones. He was able to give us more information about the Remans and the Alliance,” Captain Picard nodded. “Your sister has a tablet with the newest information.”

“I’m anxious to see her. Our shields are down. You can transport at any time, Captain,” Edward said.

“Energizing, Emperor,” Captain Picard said. The quiet chime of the transporter hummed behind us and Elizabeth stood on the bridge.

“Whoa,” she said, looking around. “You’ve traded up, Eddie.”

“Don’t call me Eddie, Lizzie,” he growled.

She smirked, shifting her bag. Charanel, who was working at the science station, looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Edward’s sister. Elizabeth turned her head and she looked at him, taking a step toward him.

 _Are they?_ Edward asked.

 _I think they are,_ I responded, watching as my brother walked to her and cupped Elizabeth’s face. He leaned in and Edward jumped up. “Hold on there, lover boy.”

“Edward,” he snarled, glaring at him and his eyes filled with confusion.

“Brother, _fei’rene,_ I know that you are confused,” Edward whispered. “You, too, Elizabeth. But this will all make sense. However, you can’t kiss.”

“Let me take care of Prince Charanel, Emperor,” Senator J’ran said firmly, grasping my brother’s arm. “Charanel, trust me. I’ll explain everything.”

“I’ll see you again?” Charanel asked, his eyes beseeching Elizabeth.

“Yeah,” she said wistfully, walking toward him but Edward stopped her. Senator J’ran tugged Charanel off the bridge. Elizabeth tried to wriggle out of Edward’s grasp. She scowled at him. “What the fuck, Edward?”

“I’ll explain everything to you, too,” Edward said, arching a brow at his sister. “But, in reality, it’s a good thing. And we need as many good things as we can get, Elizabeth.” _Bella, help me?_

“Is everything alright, Emperor?” Captain Picard asked. I’d forgotten he was still using the view screen.

“Everything is fine, Captain. I’ll tell you later. Computer, end transmission,” Edward snickered, almost dragging Elizabeth away from the spot where she met my brother. I got up and we guided Elizabeth to the office.

“Okay, stop manhandling me,” she grumped. “How could I hear Charanel in my head? And why do I feel like crawling out of my skin when I can’t see him? What the fuck?”

“My dear little sister, Charanel is your mate,” Edward said, patting her head.

“But, I met him. At your mating ceremony. I didn’t have this freaky head thing,” Elizabeth said.

“You didn’t because he wasn’t _that,_ ” I said, pointing to my brother. “He had the mind of a child when you met him. Now, his brain is fully formed and your minds and bodies have connected. You are mates.”

“What do I tell my boyfriend?” she asked, giggling nervously.

**A/N: It started off somewhat dark and sad with the death and burial of N’essie. A moment of silence for her …**

**We also got to see Bella get all pissy at Wing Commander Bree. She done got demoted. *Snickers* Then, Elizabeth and Charanel met each other, _again_. The first time didn’t count, he was _yanhesh_. Now, they are mates. Are they mates like Edward and Bella or just _mates_? **

**I have some pictures with this one. You can find them on my blog and tumblr. They are both linked on my profile. I’m also on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79.**

**Up next will be the continuation of this conversation with Edward, Bella and Elizabeth along with some battle training and more rising action. I’d appreciate you leave me some loving. Squishy hugs to all of you! See you in two weeks, kids! Look for a teaser next week! ;-)**

_S’likoya ~ a thick, heavy oil that smells like eucalyptus, aloe and rosemary, used to cleanse the skin before_ H’aaruune. _It purifies the soul._

_Ajur stone ~ a white stone, similar to mother of pearl, worn during times of mourning, denoting a loss of a friend or distant relative._

_Amur stone ~ a polished blue stone, combination of lapis and turquoise, worn during times of mourning, denoting the loss of a close family member._

_Vwesk ~ completely shattered, wrecked._

 

 

“Rose does not like those types of pants?” I asked.

“No. She thinks they’re thick and bulky. I prefer to wear them when I’m not in uniform since they feel like the uniform,” he shrugged.

“Do you miss it? Galaxy Fleet?” I frowned.

“I miss the exploration and the predictability of being on a star ship. I don’t miss being away from you or being lonely,” he murmured, walking to me and enfolding me in his arms. _I haven’t decided what I’m doing, but I know that I can’t be away from you._ “Commanding the _Cygnarus_ will be interesting and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

“The _Cygnarus_ could become our ship. We could explore the galaxy, Edward,” I suggested.

“That does have some positive merits,” he smiled, leaning down to kiss me tenderly. “Now, we’ve got a lot to do. I would like you to be able to pilot the Imperial Fighter out of the Renien shuttle bay.”

“You’re not serious?” I squeaked.

“I’m serious. Do you doubt my teaching skills?” he asked, arching a brow. “You’ll be able to do it, Nirabelle. I have no doubt about that.” I still was unsure about his lofty goal. He kissed my nose before tossing our bags over his shoulder. We walked through the throne room. I aid a silent prayer to N’essie as we passed below the rafter she was crushed against. Edward squeezed my hand and led me to the waiting hover car.

We arrived at the Renien Shuttle Bay. Edward led me to the attack fighter, tossing our bags into the cargo hold of the attack fighter. Then, Edward spent the next hour or so going over all of the instrumentation on the fighter’s console. By the time Rose, Charanel, Senator J’ran, Maralice and D’Metri joined us, I was able to navigate the controls with ease. However, I did not feel comfortable in pushing it through the atmosphere in Forx. After a brief argument, Edward said he’d launch the fighter, but I would navigate us to Cygnaria Prime once we cleared the atmosphere.

Four hours later, we arrived at Cygnaria Prime. Edward sent a hail to the shipyard, requesting permission to dock. Wing Commander Bree lowered the security field and told us to dock the fighter inside of the _Cygnarus._ I bit back my angry thoughts about Wing Commander Bree. My mate must have heard my thoughts because he gave me a wry look as he took over the controls. He flew the fighter to the largest battle cruiser inside of the shipyard. He pressed a few buttons, opening the shuttle bay doors and easily landing the fighter in the shuttle bay.

We got off the fighter and we were greeted by the wing commander and her sisters. She saluted Edward and me. “Sir, we’re ready to pass control of the _Cygnarus_ over to you,” Bree said. “It’s under my control, at the moment. We’ll need to go to the bridge to complete the process.”

“After you, Wing Commander,” Edward said, gesturing to her. She turned on her heel with her sisters following behind her. We did the same, riding up the turbolift to the bridge. It was three times the size of the _Volvo’s_ bridge, with twice as many crewmen. Wing Commander Bree had Edward scan his palm and then he completed a retinal scan. A few voice commands and the massive flagship _Cygnarus_ was now in his control.

“Let me show you your quarters,” Bree said.

“I need to upload some information into the ship’s computer,” Edward said, taking out a tablet from his bag. “Some diagnostic and tactical information. It’s stuff we need from the Galaxy Fleet ships.”

“We’ll go, Wing Commander,” Maralice nodded. I looked at Edward and he was working, his fingers flying over the console at the center of the room. “Come, Empress.”

I sighed, following Bree to the turbolift. She pointed out various quarters and assigned them to everyone, leaving me for last. The tension between us was thick. I knew I was being standoffish, but she had disrespected my mate. “These are your quarters, Empress. For you and the Emperor.”

I nodded, barely acknowledging her as I slipped past her.

“Empress?”

“Yes,” I answered, clenching my hands.

“I get the distinct impression that you don’t like me,” she said, her eyes narrowed.

“I don’t. You disrespected my mate, publically,” I spat. “You see him as an _outsider_. Regardless of whether or not he’s an outsider, he is Cygnarian. He is willing to die for our people. I do not think I could ever forgive you for what you think about my mate. You respect him _now._ After you’ve read his decorated Galaxy Fleet dossier.”

“Empress, I was mistaken with my actions. Emperor Edward, Galaxy Fleet captain or not, is a good man. I saw that he wasn’t Cygnarian and I spoke without thinking …”

“Exactly. You weren’t thinking,” I snarled. “Edward may have forgiven you, but I do not trust you. The only peope I trust is my mate, my brother and Envoy Maralice. I should have demoted you.”

“Please, Empress, don’t do that,” she frowned. “I worked hard for this position. I have a tendency to not think before I speak, but I’m good at what I do for the Imperial Fleet.”

“Well, that is no longer your concern,” I smirked. “For the remainder of this ordeal, Emperor Edward is in charge. You control your own ship, but Edward controls the Imperial Fleet, including this battle cruisers and Imperial Fighters. If you’ve proven yourself a worthy ally, you will regain control of the fleet after the end of this war. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Empress,” she whispered, her posture defeated. “I’ll head to the remaining ship. We’re still finishing it up. We’re testing the engines before we leave the shipyard. May I be excused?”

I waved my hand and watched as she stomped away. Rose poked her head out of her quarters. “You ripped her a new asshole, Nirabelle,” Rose snickered. “She’s feeling pretty shitty right now.”

“She should,” I said, gesturing for Rose to join me in our quarters. They were extravagant and over-the-top. I knew if we were going to do more space traveling, I’d redecorate and simplify. I told Rose about our first meeting and how she talked about Edward, assuming he wasn’t important because he was just an _outsider_. Rose understood my ire, but said that I was being slightly irrational.

“When you met her, you were recovering from a tremendous physical and emotional ordeal. You wore your feelings on your sleeve, correct?”

“Why would I wear them on my sleeve?” I asked, confused at the phrase.

“They were close to the surface,” Rose explained. “Now? You’re dealing with the loss of N’essie. All of this happened within a span of a week, Bella. Your emotions are swirling out of control. You look composed, but I feel your fear of Jakob and Vruk, your anxiety for Counselor Marcusi, your distrust of Bree and your anger about the death of N’essie. You are a hot mess, Bella. You need to talk to someone.”

“I know!” I barked, thrusting my hands against my temples. “I know. I just _can’t_. Not now. I’ll speak with Tal, Kunnan’s mate after all of this is over.”

“You can talk to me, Bella. Even though I was your doctor, I am still your friend,” Rose smiled, tugging on my hand. We sat down on a huge sofa. “Now, tell me everything.”

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We talked for hours and she helped me so much with her words, her support and her empathic gift. A lot of what I was dealing with would be eliminated once the threat of the Alliance was squashed. Hopefully, Jakob and Vruk would be killed in the process, thus removing that anxiety. Rose did say that it would take time for me to heal fully from my abduction and that my trust issues may never go away.

“All hands, this Emperor Edward Cullen, commanding officer of the Imperial Fleet flagship, _Cygnarus._ I need all senior staff to the bridge and all crews to prepare for departure,” Edward said over the comm.

“That’s us,” Rose said. We got up and walked back to the bridge. The _Cygnarus_ was so much larger than the _Volvo_. I was easily turned around. Thankfully, Rose knew where she was going and we managed to get to the bridge.

Edward was standing in front of his center console, dressed in a pair of gray cargo pants and navy blue shirt and jacket. Pinned to his jacket was communicator. It was a simplified version of the Imperial Crest. Everyone on the bridge had one. Charanel was dressed the same as Edward, standing up tall at the science console. I smiled brightly at that.

My mate walked to me, handing me my communicator. “For you, love,” he said, pinning it to my shirt. “All of the ships are getting them now. We’re also working on the uniform. I’m too tall for a jumpsuit.”

“Captain,” Rose smirked. “We need to rendezvous with the _Enterprise._ Your sister wasn’t ready to depart when I transported down.”

“Understood, Rose,” he nodded. With a crooked smile, he led me to a seat to his right. It was smaller and obviously designed for me. He sat next to me, nodding at Senator J’ran, who was at the helm. “Please inform the shipyard that we are prepared for departure. All crews have checked in and are ready to go.”

“We are cleared for launch, Emperor,” Senator J’ran said, his fingers flying deftly over the controls.

“Bella, would you like to do the honors?” Edward asked, his fingers threading through mine.

“What do I say?” I whispered, my eyes wide.

“Whatever you want, Bella. There’s no protocol on taking a ship out on its maiden voyage,” Edward snickered. I bit my lip, shaking my head. “Come on, Empress. This is your ship.”

“Our ship,” I argued. I blushed, looking out the view screen. The ship was waiting for my command. “Senator J’ran, take her out.”

“Understood, Empress,” he laughed. “Releasing docking clamps and activating maneuvering thrusters.”

“Ahead one-eighth impulse, Senator,” Edward said. “Once we’ve cleared the atmosphere, set rendezvous course with the _Enterprise_ in orbit of Forx. We need to pick up my sister.”

“Aye, sir,” Senator J’ran nodded, moving us forward slowly. “We’ll be in orbit of Forx in four hours, Emperor.”

“Excellent,” Edward smiled, settling back on his seat. I watched eagerly as the shipyard disappeared and we eased out into a deep ravine inside of Cygnaria Prime. The ship slowly descended, moving closer to the twinkling stars and shuddered as we went through the atmosphere. Once we were clear of the atmosphere, Senator J’ran put in a course and I felt my body push against the leather seat. “Senator, Bella and I are going to my office. I want to check on those tactical upgrades I input into the computer. You have the bridge.”

We got up, walking to the office just off the bridge. Once the door was closed, he led me to a comfy-looking sofa. He sat down and held me on his lap. “I heard you ream out Bree,” Edward chided. “That and she told me.”

“I’m not sorry for doing that,” I scoffed.

“I know, Bella. I also know that you spoke with Rose,” he murmured, his hand toying with my braid. “Did talking to her help?”

“Yes. A little. It will be a long process before I feel _normal_ ,” I frowned. “I like what you did with the Imperial Crest.”

“And I had to change the uniform. Charanel and I both put it on and we were wearing floods,” he grumped.

“Floods?” I asked.

He stuck his leg out and pulled up his pant leg around his ankle. “High waters, floods, too-short pants. We’re giving all of the officers who are lieutenant commanders or higher to change their uniform. Most of them like what I came up with and are planning to change them to the gray pants and navy shirt and jacket.”

“I think you look handsome, but I love a man in uniform,” I giggled, nibbling on his ear. “What are we going to do once we rendezvous with the _Enterprise_ and the rest of the Federation ships?”

“Status check and then begin preparing for battle,” Edward said. “This uncertainty about the timeline concerns me. And Marcusi, he must be a mess.”

“If he’s still alive,” I frowned. “It doesn’t surprise me that they kidnapped him. He supported us from the beginning.”

“Did Aro and Caius know about Didyme? About her parentage?” Edward asked.

“I don’t think so. If they did, they probably would have killed Didyme instead of N’essie,” I snarled, my temper snapping. Edward tightened his arms around me, nuzzling my neck. I melted against him. _I can’t wait until this is over. When we can go away, just the two of us without the threat of war, death and destruction._

“We will, Nirabelle. I promise you. I want to take you to Earth. I want to show you my home planet and a few awesome places along the way. Eventually, I want more, too,” he whispered, pressing his hand to my flat tummy. “I can’t wait until you’re free of that contraceptive shot.” _We need to focus on the positive, Bella. We have to. If we dwell on the negative, it will consume us. You are too good to be consumed by negativity._ “Now, we have some work to do. I want to be familiar with all of the systems of this vessel before we engage in battle.” He handed me his tablet. “Quiz me.”

I giggled and quizzed my mate on the components of the ship. The answers he got right, he earned a kiss. The answers that were incorrect resulted in me moving away from him. His impetus to get the right answers kept me firmly in his arms, even if he had to pick out the answer from my head. It was a silly game, but Edward was versed in his ship, even if it was on ‘paper.’

“J’ran to Cullen. We’re approaching Forx. The _Enterprise_ is hailing us.”

“We’re on our way to the bridge, Senator,” Edward said, dropping a soft kiss to my lips. I got up and we went out to the bridge. “On screen.”

“That is quite a vessel, Emperor,” Captain Picard smirked. “It dwarfs the _Enterprise._ ”

“In size and in speed, sir,” Edward chuckled. “We’ve got you beat by point two jump factors. Is my sister ready to transport over?”

“She’s waiting in transporter room one. She had to finish talking to your mother and verifying the findings from the Cygnarian archives. We received some information from the Turulian merchant who acted as the intermediary with the _marchesian_ stones. He was able to give us more information about the Remans and the Alliance,” Captain Picard nodded. “Your sister has a tablet with the newest information.”

“I’m anxious to see her. Our shields are down. You can transport at any time, Captain,” Edward said.

“Energizing, Emperor,” Captain Picard said. The quiet chime of the transporter hummed behind us and Elizabeth stood on the bridge.

“Whoa,” she said, looking around. “You’ve traded up, Eddie.”

“Don’t call me Eddie, Lizzie,” he growled.

She smirked, shifting her bag. Charanel, who was working at the science station, looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Edward’s sister. Elizabeth turned her head and she looked at him, taking a step toward him.

 _Are they?_ Edward asked.

 _I think they are,_ I responded, watching as my brother walked to her and cupped Elizabeth’s face. He leaned in and Edward jumped up. “Hold on there, lover boy.”

“Edward,” he snarled, glaring at him and his eyes filled with confusion.

“Brother, _fei’rene,_ I know that you are confused,” Edward whispered. “You, too, Elizabeth. But this will all make sense. However, you can’t kiss.”

“Let me take care of Prince Charanel, Emperor,” Senator J’ran said firmly, grasping my brother’s arm. “Charanel, trust me. I’ll explain everything.”

“I’ll see you again?” Charanel asked, his eyes beseeching Elizabeth.

“Yeah,” she said wistfully, walking toward him but Edward stopped her. Senator J’ran tugged Charanel off the bridge. Elizabeth tried to wriggle out of Edward’s grasp. She scowled at him. “What the fuck, Edward?”

“I’ll explain everything to you, too,” Edward said, arching a brow at his sister. “But, in reality, it’s a good thing. And we need as many good things as we can get, Elizabeth.” _Bella, help me?_

“Is everything alright, Emperor?” Captain Picard asked. I’d forgotten he was still using the view screen.

“Everything is fine, Captain. I’ll tell you later. Computer, end transmission,” Edward snickered, almost dragging Elizabeth away from the spot where she met my brother. I got up and we guided Elizabeth to the office.

“Okay, stop manhandling me,” she grumped. “How could I hear Charanel in my head? And why do I feel like crawling out of my skin when I can’t see him? What the fuck?”

“My dear little sister, Charanel is your mate,” Edward said, patting her head.

“But, I met him. At your mating ceremony. I didn’t have this freaky head thing,” Elizabeth said.

“You didn’t because he wasn’t _that,_ ” I said, pointing to my brother. “He had the mind of a child when you met him. Now, his brain is fully formed and your minds and bodies have connected. You are mates.”

“What do I tell my boyfriend?” she asked, giggling nervously.

**A/N: It started off somewhat dark and sad with the death and burial of N’essie. A moment of silence for her …**

**We also got to see Bella get all pissy at Wing Commander Bree. She done got demoted. *Snickers* Then, Elizabeth and Charanel met each other, _again_. The first time didn’t count, he was _yanhesh_. Now, they are mates. Are they mates like Edward and Bella or just _mates_? **

**I have some pictures with this one. You can find them on my blog and tumblr. They are both linked on my profile. I’m also on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79.**

**Up next will be the continuation of this conversation with Edward, Bella and Elizabeth along with some battle training and more rising action. I’d appreciate you leave me some loving. Squishy hugs to all of you! See you in two weeks, kids! Look for a teaser next week! ;-)**

_S’likoya ~ a thick, heavy oil that smells like eucalyptus, aloe and rosemary, used to cleanse the skin before_ H’aaruune. _It purifies the soul._

_Ajur stone ~ a white stone, similar to mother of pearl, worn during times of mourning, denoting a loss of a friend or distant relative._

_Amur stone ~ a polished blue stone, combination of lapis and turquoise, worn during times of mourning, denoting the loss of a close family member._

_Vwesk ~ completely shattered, wrecked._

 


	19. Chapter 19

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be the continuation of this conversation with Edward, Bella and Elizabeth along with some battle training and more rising action. The battle is coming and coming soon.**

**Chapter Nineteen**

**BPOV**

She smirked, shifting her bag. Charanel, who was working at the science station, looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Edward’s sister. Elizabeth turned her head and she looked at him, taking a step toward him.

 _Are they?_ Edward asked.

 _I think they are,_ I responded, watching as my brother walked to her and cupped Elizabeth’s face. He leaned in and Edward jumped up. “Hold on there, lover boy.”

“Edward,” he snarled, glaring at him and his eyes filled with confusion.

“Brother, _fei’rene,_ I know that you are confused,” Edward whispered. “You, too, Elizabeth. But this will all make sense. However, you can’t kiss.”

“Let me take care of Prince Charanel, Emperor,” Senator J’ran said firmly, grasping my brother’s arm. “Charanel, trust me. I’ll explain everything.”

“I’ll see you again?” Charanel asked, his eyes beseeching Elizabeth.

“Yeah,” she said wistfully, walking toward him but Edward stopped her. Senator J’ran tugged Charanel off the bridge. Elizabeth tried to wriggle out of Edward’s grasp. She scowled at him. “What the fuck, Edward?”

“I’ll explain everything to you, too,” Edward said, arching a brow at his sister. “But, in reality, it’s a good thing. And we need as many good things as we can get, Elizabeth.” _Bella, help me?_

“Is everything alright, Emperor?” Captain Picard asked. I’d forgotten he was still using the view screen.

“Everything is fine, Captain. I’ll tell you later. Computer, end transmission,” Edward snickered, almost dragging Elizabeth away from the spot where she met my brother. I got up and we guided Elizabeth to the office.

“Okay, stop manhandling me,” she grumped. “How could I hear Charanel in my head? And why do I feel like crawling out of my skin when I can’t see him? What the fuck?”

“My dear little sister, Charanel is your mate,” Edward said, patting her head.

“But, I met him. At your mating ceremony. I didn’t have this freaky head thing,” Elizabeth said.

“You didn’t because he wasn’t _that,_ ” I said, pointing to my brother. “He had the mind of a child when you met him. Now, his brain is fully formed and your minds and bodies have connected. You are mates.”

“What do I tell my boyfriend?” she asked, giggling nervously.

**EPOV**

“I thought you broke up with him?” I asked, arching a brow at my sister. “You said you were. He’s a lazy douchebag.”

“I said I wanted to take a break, but we’re still kind of together,” Elizabeth argued half-heartedly, looking longingly at the door. “But, I don’t really care about him anymore. What I felt for him is _nothing_ compared to what I feel for Charanel. Where’s Charanel? I’d really like to go to him.” She got up and started walking to the door. I guided her back to the sofa. Bella sat next to her, looping her arm through my sister’s, keeping her in the office.

“He’s getting the same conversation as you are, Elizabeth,” Bella chimed in, rubbing her shoulders. “Describe how you’re feeling. Don’t skip anything.”

“I can still hear Charanel’s thoughts. He’s thinking about me,” she blushed. “He thinks I’m beautiful and he’s curious to know if my hair is as soft as it looks.” She bit her lip, furrowing her brow. “I can tell what he’s feeling.” Her blush deepened. “He’s really turned on. He really wants to kiss me and taste my skin …”

“Okay, enough,” I said, cringing slightly. “I don’t need to know that.”

“Was it intense? All-consuming? Like, complete desperation to get next to him?” Bella questioned. “Or was it more of a warm glow that surrounded you in this perfect bubble of love?”

“Warm glow,” Elizabeth nodded, her pale skin turning a bright pink. “He’s my mate? Are we mates like you?”

 _They’re not like us, Edward. You had to admit, our reaction, even if it was through a view screen, was pretty intense,_ Bella said mentally. I nodded in agreement. “You are definitely mates, Elizabeth, but not _te’atée_ mates. Now that you’ve seen him and _connected with him_ , you will have to mate with him in a year or you will both die, unfortunately,” Bella murmured, her nose wrinkled. “We never separated Charanel from the females since he had that delay. Something in his mind never clicked. He just saw all as playmates, not as a romantic mate.”

“And now, since that delay has been repaired, the chemical reaction, recognizing his mate, recognizes me?” Elizabeth asked. “But, I met him. Before, at your mating ceremony. Wouldn’t I have had some sort of reaction then?”

“Did you think he was attractive?” I questioned.

“I thought he was handsome, but I knew he was delayed. Some of the nobles sitting at our table called him _yanhesh,_ and saying some other nasty things about Charanel. I got irrationally upset when they did. I never said anything, but I had to walk away for a moment,” Elizabeth murmured. “I was going to crack some heads if they continued bad mouthing him.”

“I think,” Bella said. “I think that you were so irrationally upset about that commentary because you felt the beginning of the mating bond. It couldn’t fully form until Charanel had the damage to his brain repaired. Now that he’s ‘normal,’ you both are experiencing the full extent of imprinting. You are not like Edward and me, though.”

“Yes, Ange’le said that what you experienced was very, very rare,” Elizabeth said, her brows furrowing.

“And it would make sense for you and Charanel to be mated. It’s a genetic match, as well as a soul match,” I said.

“I’m still confused,” Elizabeth muttered. “Charanel is my soul mate?”

“Yes. Your souls are compatible. He loves you already, just like you love him,” Bella smiled, taking Elizabeth’s hands.

My sister pulled her hands back. “Love him? I don’t even know him! I want to know him better, but I can’t say that I love him,” Elizabeth said shortly, shaking her head aggressively. “Plus, I have to hail Harry and tell him that our ‘break’ is more permanent than I thought. I can’t very well start something new until that’s been dealt with. You know?”

“I don’t know,” Bella replied, her head cocked to the side. “I’ve only ever loved Edward.”

“Eddie, please tell me you understand,” Elizabeth whined, taking my hands.

“I do, but until you have had your mating ceremony, you and Charanel must be chaperoned. You cannot kiss until the ceremony. It begins the mating bond and it escalates. Quickly,” I chided.

“Chaperone, _ugh!_ And no kissing,” she mumbled. She sat back on the couch, crossing her legs and pouting slightly. With an angry huff, she relented. “Got it.” She looked at me. “Will our mating ceremony happen as quickly as yours?”

“Probably not, Elizabeth,” Bella answered. “Edward and I are _te’atée_ mates. Our souls were intertwined and needed to fuse, reunite. That coupled with his being human forced our mating ceremony to occur very quickly. According to Marcusi, if we didn’t complete the mating bond within a week after our arrival on Forx, we’d both be dead.”

“And by mating bond, you mean sex,” Elizabeth said, arching a brow. She grinned saucily.  

“Yes,” I nodded. “It completes the connection between you and your mate.”

“And with time, that bond becomes stronger,” Bella added. “You’ll have to experience the genetic enhancements like Edward to lengthen your life. It’s a simple injection taken once a month.”

“Whoa! How long do you live?” Elizabeth asked, her eyes wide.

“Between two hundred and two hundred and fifty years,” Bella replied. “And our years are longer than yours, as well.”

“My head is about to explode,” she moaned, leaning forward and massaging her temples. “I can’t …”

The door to my office opened and Charanel barreled through with Senator J’ran on his heels. Charanel sat down next to my sister and tenderly wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her hair. His spots glowed and my sister snuggled to his side, her arms sliding around his middle. Charanel whispered in Cygnarian, his fingers brushing through her blonde hair. With each caress, Elizabeth settled more. And Charanel started purring. “Do you feel better, Elizabeth?” Bella asked.

“Yeah. Not so out of sorts,” she replied, looking up at Charanel with adoration. He smiled softly, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead. “Is it because I’m near you?”

Charanel nodded, staring into Elizabeth’s eyes. “I didn’t know what it was when we first met at Nirabelle’s mating ceremony. I still don’t, really. J’ran was explaining it to me when I felt your distress. I couldn’t stand it so I had to come and make it better,” Charanel explained, his fingers tracing her features. “We’re mates. Our souls are connected.” He leaned forward.

“Charanel, you cannot _senelle_ ,” Senator J’ran chided. Charanel growled, glaring back at Senator J’ran. “You have not been joined in the eyes of your people or her parents. You are feeling emotions and experiencing physical connections, reactions to your mating bond.”

“Nirabelle could be near her mate,” Charanel grumped, his lips jutting out.

“That’s because she is older and she understands the phenomenon of imprinting. You are still trying to grasp the concept, Charanel,” Senator J’ran said.

“I’m not _yanhesh_!” Charanel snarled.

“I know you’re not,” Elizabeth whispered, gently forcing Charanel to look at her. “But, in some ways, you still have the mind of a child. Thank you for calming me down, Charanel.” Her fingers traced down his spots and he shuddered, looking down at her hungrily. “But, I think we need to listen to Senator J’ran, your sister, and my brother, _unfortunately,_ until our own mating ceremony. Besides, I have a few things I need to do before we can begin to get to know each other.”

“Charanel, why don’t you show Elizabeth her quarters?” Bella suggested. “Senator J’ran can escort the two of you.”

“After you get settled, we can meet in the conference room and discuss any new information,” I said, looking at my sister.

“Right. New information, the Turulian merchant. Here,” she blushed, fumbling through her bag. “The interview with the Turulian merchant.” She handed me the tablet and got up unsteadily. Charanel smiled, threading his fingers with hers and carrying her duffel on his shoulder. From their intense stares, I knew they were conversing mentally. Senator J’ran cleared his throat and pushed them out of the office.

“Were we that love struck?” I asked.

“No, but it helps that I understood imprinting. We had more control over our emotions. This is all new for Charanel,” Bella smiled, snuggling to my side. “He’s experiencing the joy of his first and only love.”

“In a way, I’m glad. With everything that has happened recently, we need something good. Knowing that Charanel and Elizabeth have each other and that they will love each other forever, it’s calming. Something to strive for. Something to hope for,” I breathed, kissing Bella’s forehead. “I’m certain that the Cygnarian people will love the idea of another Imperial Mating Ceremony.”

“Yes,” Bella nodded, stretching up to kiss me. “Now, are you going to read this report?”

“Yeah. Hopefully, we can gather some more intel on the Alliance,” I replied.

“You read that. I’m going to check on Charanel and help him understand more about imprinting. After that, meet me in our quarters for dinner,” she murmured, standing up gracefully. “The Federation has provided us with replicator technology and I want to try it out.”

“How did you know?” I asked.

“Rose told me. Her mate, Lieutenant Morgainne and an engineering team should be on board now, integrating it into our systems aboard the _Cygnarus_ ,” Bella nodded.

“Emmett is Rose’s boyfriend, not mates,” I said, smiling crookedly.

“I do not understand the difference,” Bella replied, her brow furrowed adorably.

“They are not bonded like you to me. They don’t have our …” _connection. They love each other tremendously, but they are not mated, husband and wife. You know how we said vows in front of our families?_

“Yes. And in front of our people,” she whispered.

“Emmett and Rose haven’t done that. They are dating. Do you remember when I told you about dating?”

“It’s like trying people on for size,” she nodded. “I understand now. And that Harry that Elizabeth mentioned, she was dating him?” I chuckled and nodded. “But you did not like him. You called him a douchebag. What is a bag of douche?”

“An insult,” I laughed nervously, waving my hand. “Harry, Harry … he, um … he’s not like you or me or anyone with any sort of ambition. From what Elizabeth told me, Harry just planted himself on her couch and did nothing. All. Day.”

“That sounds incredibly boring,” Bella shuddered. “He didn’t work? Didn’t have a job?”

“We don’t really need to have jobs as our economy is not based off of monetary wealth. We work to better ourselves, to improve our mind, to explore different cultures. Harry must have missed the memo,” I snorted. “His main focus in life is to blend into my sister’s couch and raid the replicator. The guy was huge. Psssh, not anymore.”

“This Harry sounds like …” Bella muttered, making a face. “Why was she with him?”

“I have no clue,” I laughed. “Now, go check on our replicator. I shouldn’t be too long with this.”

“Okay, _ti’ane_ ,” Bella smiled, gliding toward the door. “I love you.”

“I adore you,” I whispered, settling behind my desk. “And Nirabelle?” _I want to make love to you in our ship. The_ Cygnarus _will have no idea what hit it when we’re done._

 _I can’t wait,_ she giggled, easing out of the office and walking back to our quarters.

I shook my head, trying to clear it from the naughty images my mate was sending me, opening the file from the Turulian merchant. I was reading the report, smiling at what was being said. The Alliance wasn’t nearly as organized as we were led to believe by Vruk and Jakob. The Remans were obviously the brains of the organization and the Alphans were the muscle. There were a few smaller planets that were a part of the Alliance, but they were bullied into the organization with blockades and sieges around their worlds. However, based on the preliminary reports, these worlds were not as technologically advanced as the Remans or the Alphans. They were space-faring, but have not harnessed the capabilities to travel faster than the speed of light. Their worlds were used for the acquisition of supplies, and a place for building of new ships and weapons.

In addition to that information, the Turulian merchant explained that we had damaged their ships more than they led on. Their shield generators were damaged heavily, the matter/antimatter reaction was unstable and the phasers were on the fritz. Vruk had spoken to the merchant, demanding for _marchesian_ stones, researching and asking for tricobalt ore to enhance their torpedoes and desperately clawing for any information pertaining to the Federation, our weaknesses, strengths, how many ships. The merchant claimed to not know since he did not want to get any more involved and he did not agree with the Alliance philosophy. Vruk ended his professional relationship with the merchant, threatening to kill him. It was Liannette who granted him his freedom and inadvertently, our inside source.

Once I finished reading the report, I conferenced with all of the Galaxy Fleet captains. We discussed the report and made the decision to meet early the next day aboard the _Cygnarus_ to finalize strategies and the plan for when they attack. We set the time for our meeting and I informed my senior staff. Afterward, I went to engineering so I could become familiar with the mechanical components of my new vessel. The engine was impressive, running on half of the dilithium that we used to power ships half its size. The chief engineer, a tall man named Krixxer, said he’d be willing to share in the information with the Federation and help with the installation in the fleet.

 _Edward, whenever you’re ready, the replicator has been installed. Senator J’ran, Charanel, Elizabeth, D’Metri, Rose and Emmett are joining us for dinner. Maralice is aboard the_ Volvo, _on a date with Captain Whitlock,_ Bella laughed in my head. _Shall I expect you soon?_

 _I’m on my way,_ I replied, bidding farewell to Krixxer. I weaved my way through the maze of the _Cygnarus_. It was a huge vessel, easily dwarfing the largest ship in Galaxy Fleet, the _Excelsior._ In addition to being huge, it was also fast and quite nimble. The large amounts of maneuvering thrusters ensured its agility. Only getting turned around once, I arrived back in my quarters to find a full house. Bella had set an elegant table and had replicated a huge meal for all of us. I recognized a lot of human dishes, a few alien delicacies, a pitcher of Solarian ale – which was more like Earth champagne - and an array of Cygnarian desserts, including _nari_ cakes.

“Are you familiar with every nook and cranny of this place?” Rose asked, sipping her ale.

“Not yet,” I snorted, pouring myself a glass of ale. “Give me a day, or two.”

“I remember when you took command of the _Volvo_. You were able to walk the halls blindfolded to get to your quarters,” Emmett laughed. “You can’t do that here?”

“I had the schematics of the _Volvo_ on file and I used the holodeck to learn every part of it once I was assigned as her captain. I just received word that I was going to be in command of the _Cygnarus_ for a day? A day and a half? I’m only human, Emmett,” I snickered.

“Well, by the time we come back to install the replicators in the mess hall, engineering and bridge, I want you to be able to blindly walk to your quarters, sir,” Emmett challenged, downing his ale and pouring himself another glass. “And no cheating with your mate giving you directions in your brain.”

“That’s not cheating, Lieutenant,” Bella said, smirking at him. “That’s me protecting my mate. Edward would do the same for me, without even knowing it.” _Not like I’d be any help,_ ti’ane. _I’m hopelessly turned around in here. I had to use the computer to guide me back to our quarters._ I bit back a laugh, winking at my mate. “Let’s go eat before the food gets cold, everyone.”

We all settled into our seats. Elizabeth and Charanel were next to each other, never breaking each other’s gazes. Senator J’ran rolled his eyes as we dug into the meal, delicious and unique, thanks to my mate. I never would have paired meatloaf with a Bolian soufflé, but it worked. Dinner was a huge success and it broke the ice for the non-Cygnarian crew. We all learned about each other and grew to trust each other, becoming a new, but slightly dysfunctional family.

Rose walked Emmett to the transporter while D’Metri and Senator J’ran went back to their quarters. Bella walked Charanel back to his quarters to talk more about imprinting. Elizabeth was finishing her coffee and nibbling on a _nari_ cake. “How are you doing, Lizzie?” I asked, sitting next to her.

“Overwhelmed, Eddie,” she snorted, looking over at me. “I hailed Harry and he was pissed. He said that I was a cheating whore. I haven’t done anything.”

“I’ll kick his ‘Jabba-the-Hut’ ass,” I growled. “Why were you with him? Why?”

“Convenience. I was settling,” she shrugged. “Despite his laziness and fat ass, Harry was sweet.”

“He called you a whore, Lizzie,” I deadpanned.

“Operative term ‘was.’ He _was_ sweet,” Elizabeth said, arching a brow. “I gave him my flat and told him that I wasn’t returning to London any time soon.”

“What about your books? Your belongings?”

“My assistant has the access codes to get my stuff. I hailed her, too. She’s going to pick it up tomorrow and put it into storage for me. I’ve also put in for an extended leave of absence from Oxford, explaining that I’m doing research on Cygnarian culture. I’ll go back once Charanel is ready to join Galaxy Fleet and attend the academy,” she smiled, finishing her coffee. “If that’s what he wants.” She tilted her head, chuckling. “He’s torn. He wants to attend the academy, but he wants me more.”

“It’s weird. Hearing them?” I smiled crookedly.

“It’s weird, but comforting, too. I feel this sense of protection, warmth even when I’m not with him. When we’re in the same room, I want to rip off his clothes and ride him like a prized stallion,” she purred.

“Elizabeth, that’s my brother you’re talking about. And you’re my sister. I’ve got enough issues going on with the Remans and Alphans. I do _not_ need to know about your future bedroom Olympics,” I growled. “Besides, he needs to finish healing from his procedure before you can do anything else.”

“He told me. We both were experiencing the beginning of the imprint bond while in attendance for your mating ceremony. It exploded when saw each other on the bridge and he had the appropriate chemicals flowing in his noggin,” Elizabeth giggled. “However, he said that we’d spend the time after this war getting to know each other. Chaperoned, of course. He also said that he wanted to get Dad’s permission before we have our mating ceremony. He was reading up on human romantic traditions. Charanel is definitely very sweet, but sexy, too. That crooked little grin, the glowing spots and rumbling purr? Hmmm, nice. I may have to break out the vibrator tonight.”

“Too much information, Elizabeth Anne Cullen,” I groaned, thrusting my hands into my hair.

“Edward Anthony Cullen, I’m twenty-five. I’ve had sex,” she laughed. “Bad sex, but sex.”

“I think the Bolian soufflé is going to make a reappearance, Elizabeth. Stop,” I whimpered, glaring at her.

“Okay, okay. Sorry, brother,” she giggled, kissing my head. “I’m going to head to my quarters. “ _Te’une fei’rene.”_

“Yeah, yeah. You’ve scarred me, Elizabeth Anne. Scarred,” I spat, glaring at her. She just laughed, dancing out of my quarters as my mate glided in. They hugged and Bella sat next to me. “My sister … no words to describe her.”

“Well, whatever she was thinking got my brother hot and bothered,” Bella snickered. “He practically shoved me out of his quarters.”

“Fuck,” I moaned, flopping back on the couch.

 _We can do that,_ she giggled, straddling my legs and leaning forward to kiss me. _It’ll help you to forget the visions dancing in your head revolving around your sister and my brother._ “We can create our own.”

“That’s exactly what I need, **_Fíorghrá,_** **” I purred. _Hold on._ Picking her up, I carried her to our bedroom and we spent the better part of the night making love and relishing our bond as _te’atée_ mates. **

**xx STAR CROSSED xx**

**“It’s been over a week,” Rose snarled. “We haven’t heard anything.”**

**“The longer we go without a fight, the more prepared we are, Rose,” I said. “It’s disconcerting, I know, but we’re still learning the ins and outs of the _Cygnarus_ and trying to perfect the battle plans with the Federation.”**

**“Captain Riker hasn’t seen or detected anything on long-range scans, either,” said Jasper from his ready room aboard the _Volvo_. “Maybe they’ve given up?”**

**“Unlikely,” Bella growled. “They may be licking their wounds, but they are not giving up.”**

**“I agree,” I nodded. “The Alphans are desperate and the Remans are just vile.”**

**“I just wish we knew what they were doing with Counselor Marcusi,” Maralice frowned. “Didyme is sick with worry. She was admitted to the hospital earlier today and may have to be sedated if we don’t hear anything soon.”**

**“Well, the better prepared we are, the more likely we’ll win this,” Dad said from his office aboard the _Enterprise_. **

**“Or more likely that they’re creating weapons to cause further damage,” I cringed. “You read the report from the Turulian merchant.”**

**“Tricobalt ore is rare in this sector. It’s only found on Cygnaria Prime and a moon in the Danerys system, just outside of Cygnarian territory, in Federation space,” Dad replied. “They can’t access it unless they found another source of it in Reman or Alphan space. The Reman home world is a wasteland with very little to offer except titanium and tritanium ore. And you all know about the Alphan home world of Lapus. It’s a dying planet.”**

**“What about those smaller planets that were bullied into the Alliance?” Charanel asked. “Do any of them have tricobalt ore?”**

**“I’d assume not since the merchant said that Vruk was desperate for it,” Captain Picard nodded. “For now, we’ll keep running our drills and simulations on our respective ships. Will is sending me hourly reports from the Cygnarian border and if there’s anything that changes, I’ll let you all know.”**

**“Thank you, Captain,” I nodded. “We pray that this is over soon. I know that the Federation fleet have other things to do, like explore our galaxy.”**

**“The galaxy is not going anywhere, Emperor. We will get the opportunity to go in search for new life and new civilizations. We have to foster and encourage our newest alliance with the Cygnarians. And we’ll be here for as long as you need us. Picard out.”**

“I think I’m going to take Captain Picard on his suggestion and run some drills,” Jasper said, an evil grin spreading over his features.

“Don’t run my former crew into the ground, Whitlock,” I snorted.

“I’m keeping them on their toes, Edward,” he replied. “Besides, you have my chief medical officer aboard your ship.”

“Relax, Captain. Dr. Bashir and Emmett installed a holo-doc,” Rose smirked. “You’re covered.”

“But, he’s confined to the medical bay,” Jasper pouted. “Isn’t he?”

“There are holo-emitters all throughout the ship, Captain,” Rose said. “Activate him.”

“Computer, activate the emergency medical holographic program in the captain’s ready room,” Jasper commanded.

“Please state the nature of the medical emergency,” the holo-doc barked. “This isn’t sickbay.”

“Computer, end program,” Jasper said. “Okay, you’ve proved your point. Whitlock out.”

I turned to my senior staff. “At some point, I don’t know when, I will be having a drill aboard this vessel. You can’t be too prepared. For now? The Empress and I are going to work a little on her fighting technique. Hopefully, our shields won’t fail but I want her to be prepared if they do.”

“May I join you?” Charanel asked. “I’m getting better with a phaser, but not so well with the hand-to-hand combat.”

I nodded and dismissed my staff. I led Bella and Charanel to a large room that acted like our workout facility aboard the vessel. Bella removed her circlet of bereavement for N’essie. We learned the hard way that ‘fighting’ and that circlet did not work well together. She got a nasty bruise on her head and I sliced the hell out of my forearm. My mate slid onto the mats and began stretching out. I shrugged out of my jacket and went to the closet that held imitations of the various weaponry that the Alphans and Remans used. I started with _bsh’took._ It was a clunky weapon, but I could see why the Alphans favored it. “Do you want to start, Charanel?”

“Yes,” he said, his eyes glimmering with excitement. He removed his jacket and pushed up the sleeves to his shirt. I could see that he was building muscle. He was going to be a formidable opponent. What he lacked was the training. I tossed him the _bsh’took._ He held it awkwardly, twisting it and thrusting it forward. “This is …”

“Weird, I know. Hold it here,” I said, grasping the cushioned grips. He did, holding it straight out. He experimented, twisting it and eventually making it look natural. “Good. This is what the Alphans use.”

“It’s called a _bsh’took_ ,” Bella said, continuing her stretches.

“Let’s just go through some basic parries,” I explained, working with him. Charanel caught on quickly, twisting the weapon and making it look easy. After I went over the basics, I suggested we spar. Charanel looked apprehensive, but I said that it would be easier with me than with an angry Alphan, with a real _bsh’took,_ ready to decapitate you. I went easy on Charanel the first few rounds of sparring. He was getting frustrated.

“You’re holding back, Edward. Do not coddle me,” Charanel spat.

I arched a brow, spinning and going at him without any warning. His eyes widened and he managed to squeak past my attack. In a flurry of whizzing blades and bouncing feet, we went hard at each other. I was drenched in sweat as our fight continued. Charanel swiped at me and I flipped back, landing on my feet. I swept my leg under his, causing him to fall. I went to finish my parry and he kicked at my chest. I fell down, quickly gathering my wits. Jumping up, I thrust, hit, twisted and pushed him toward the bulkhead of the room. With a spinning kick, I nailed him in the ribs, reaching into my boot to pull out a _dk’took_ I had hidden inside. Pressing the blade to Charanel’s neck, he surrendered by dropping his blade and holding his hands up. “Is that what you meant?” I panted.

“You were still holding back,” Charanel smirked.

“Of course. If I didn’t, you’d be dead,” I answered, stepping away from him. “I could show you, but we don’t have a holodeck aboard this ship, nor do we have time to install one.” Turning, I whipped the _dk’took_ and hit a target dead in the center across the room. “I may be a diplomat, but I can be fucking deadly if need be.”

“Have you ever killed someone?” Charanel asked.

“I have and it changes you,” I whispered, clamping my eyes shut. “Now, let’s try working with some Reman weapons. Bella, you’re stronger with the scimitars than I am. You work with your brother while I go get us some water.” I left the two of them, walking to the mess hall a couple of decks below us to grab a couple of bottles of water. I tried to calm myself and I remembered when I first took a life.

I had just been promoted to lieutenant. It was during the Dominion war and I was on an away mission on a planet near the Bajoran sector scanning for magnasite. My away team was attacked by Dominion troops and I had to kill several of them to save my team. It was horrific, seeing their faces frozen in a mask of fear and death. Deaths that I had caused.

I received an award after that away mission for heroism and valor, along with another promotion. _Who would have thought that taking the life another sentient being is worthy of moving up the career ladder?_ I hid my feelings for the longest time after that. The only person who ever knew how I really felt was Rose and that’s because we’d just gotten married shortly after that away mission and promotion. It felt good to not feel that emptiness, if for just a few moments. She also forced me to face my feelings. Rose had always been a good friend, but not a great wife. Or, perhaps, I wasn’t the best husband. Whatever the case may be, she got me through that dark time and I worked my hardest on not killing anyone since.

_Shoot to disable, not destroy._

I shook my head, walking back to the workout room. Bella was showing Charanel some pretty advanced moves. However, she looked at me, her brow furrowed. _I’m worried about you,_ ti’ane _. Is everything okay?_

 _I’ll be fine, Bella,_ I smiled. I sat down, watching them work and downing my water. Charanel did not care for the scimitars as much as the _bsh’took._ He didn’t like not having the freedom to use both of his hands. They took a break after that, drinking some water and eating a light snack before Charanel and I worked on some hand-to-hand combat. I knew that I got a few new bruises and possibly some cracked ribs with our sparring, but I felt confident that Charanel could handle himself in a fight if he was disarmed by his assailant.

Bella and Charanel went back to our quarters and I went to the medical bay to get my ribs attended to. As Rose was setting up the bone knitter, she arched a brow. “I felt those emotions, Edward. Those dark, angry emotions. Care to elaborate?”

“Charanel asked if I’d killed someone,” I said, laying down on the surgical table after I removed my shirt. My pale skin was littered with a myriad of bruises.

“Oh. And you’re alright?” Rose questioned, tapping in a few commands and settling the knitter over my ribs. “I can still feel some residual guilt and anger.”

“It just hit me out of nowhere, Rose,” I shrugged.

“Don’t move,” she chided. “Scanning.” I felt the pain in my side dissipate and Rose checked the breaks. “Okay, you’re done. And don’t feel bad about killing those Jem H’Dar and a few Vorta. They are genetically enhanced killing machines and their pet clones. They were attacking you and your team on a survey mission.”

“I know. I know! I just signed up to be a part of Galaxy Fleet to explore, not kill. If I wanted to kill, I would have joined the war fleet,” I grumbled, sitting up and running my fingers over my folded shirt.

“And you saved your entire away team, nearly getting yourself killed, Edward,” she said, putting her hands on my shoulders. “That was the toughest surgery I had to perform because it was you. You were my closest friend and …” She trailed off, smirking.

“Best fuck?” I filled in for her.

“You said it. Not me. And not anymore. Emmett’s got you beat. Hands down. He’s the got the Solarian cock,” she laughed. “Hmmmm, fucking magical.”

I rolled my eyes as I put my shirt back on, stretching out a few kinks. “I’m going back to my quarters to change and then check on the bridge.”

“I’d talk to your mate, Cullen,” Rose admonished. “She’s probably concerned.”

“I know she is. I will. I just need to get this drill done,” I grumbled.

“Make them all squirm. Do it at like midnight,” Rose cackled. She ran one more scan. “You’re good.”

“Thanks, Rose,” I said, hopping off the table and jogging to my quarters to take a quick sonic shower and change uniforms. Bella wasn’t there. I focused on her mind, finding her in Charanel’s quarters eating a late lunch. _I’ll be on the bridge,_ **Fíorghrá. _Ping me if you need me._** Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari.

 _I love you, too, Edward and I know we have to talk. You’re not getting away with those emotions and not explaining them,_ Bella chided mentally.

She kissed me in my brain and I smiled, heading to the bridge, feeling more at peace after I talked to Rose. I asked for the latest status reports from the crews. Senator J’ran and I spent a few moments going over some sensor glitches in engineering. I asked him to send down a team to investigate. Even though I was growing to trust my Cygnarian crew, I was still leery since Wing Commander Bree had not taken to me initially. I didn’t want my vessel to have any sort of tampering or sabotage. The sensor glitches could be just that, glitches, but I still wanted verification.

I spent the rest of my shift on the bridge. I also handed over the drill scheduling to Senator J’ran. I didn’t want to know when it was going to happen. J’ran accepted the responsibility and said to be afraid. This would be unlike any drill we’d had before. Second shift came onto the bridge and I left for my quarters. I was still very sore from my training with Charanel. I wanted to soak in the tub that Bella had installed in our bathroom. My mate lived for her baths.

Arriving in our quarters, I saw our meals set out on the table. Bella had been pouring over the Galaxy Fleet database for new meals to try. I chuckled when I saw the fare for the evening. We were back on Earth with Italian cuisine, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, fettuccini Alfredo, linguine and clam sauce and tiramisu. “Bella, I’m going to be so fat if you keep replicating these massive meals!”

 “I didn’t know what you liked,” she said, putting another dish on the table, eggplant parmesan. “I figured I’d replicate all of them.” She looked at the table, wrinkling her nose. “We can’t eat all of this.”

“We can’t eat all of this in a month, Bella,” I snickered, wrapping my arms around her. “I love Italian food and all of this is very, very rich.”

“I don’t want to waste it,” she said, wrinkling her nose.

“When you put it in the replicator, it can be recycled. It won’t be wasted,” I soothed. “Now, I suggest the lasagna and meatballs.”

“What about the teermysut?” she asked.

I looked at her, very confused. She pointed to the tiramisu. “Tiramisu, Bella. I think that would be a delicious dessert,” I smiled, kissing her forehead. “We can try the other dishes another time.” We worked together and I showed her how to recycle the food so it wouldn’t go to waste. Once we finished, we sat down and Bella poured me a glass of Cygnarian blush wine.

“What happened today, _ti’ane?_ ” Bella asked, sipping her wine. “After you and Charanel fought with the _bsh’tooks_ , your mind went dark.”

“Dark as in ugly or dark as in I didn’t want you to see?” I questioned.

“You closed your mind to me, but your emotions were angry, guilty and so very sad,” Bella said, her brows furrowed. I took a breath and told her about the one time I took lives. She listened to me as I told her my struggle in what had happened, in how I got a promotion for killing eight people, but saving ten on the away team. When I couldn’t continue, I opened my mind to her and showed her that dark time. Bella got up and sat in my lap, wrapping her arms around me. I clutched her tiny, but strong body to me. “You could never be a monster, Edward. Those Dominion troops were monsters in attacking you.” _I understand what you’re feeling and what you felt when you were living through that moment. Norex …_

“That’s different, Bella. You didn’t kill him. He was executed for his crimes,” I argued. “I took a phaser and killed eight people. They disintegrated before my eyes because I had the phaser set to its maximum setting. I obliterated them.”

“You are a good man. A kind man,” Bella whispered, brushing my too-long hair from my forehead. “Do not feel guilty because you were protecting your crew. Would you kill again if I were in danger? Charanel? Elizabeth?”

“I would,” I whispered. “You’re my family.”

“As I would for you. As long as this remains good and pure,” she murmured, pressing her hand to my heart, “you could never be a monster.” She leaned forward and kissed me, a kiss filled with love and respect. My heart was about to burst. Picking her up, I carried her to our bedroom. Dinner could wait. I needed to love my mate.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

A couple of nights later, Senator J’ran ran the drill and it was a doozy. However, my crew was successful in stopping the intruders. The simulation was a success. Unfortunately, we still hadn’t heard anything from Captain Riker. We were all getting antsy and nervous with each passing day. The longer we waited, the more likely the Alliance was growing in numbers or improving its technology.

After another couple of days, the _Enterprise_ flew out to the Cygnarian border. Captain Riker’s vessel was experiencing some sensor malfunctions. I assumed leadership of the fleet protecting Forx until the _Enterprise_ was to return. My parents had transported down to the surface and assumed control of the ground troops. My mother was getting restless staying aboard a star ship without going anywhere.

The only one who was thriving in this waiting situation was Charanel. He was soaking up all of the training like a sponge. He appeared to love working on a star ship. Not to mention, he loved my sister. They were building a friendship, but from the soft look in his eyes, he adored Elizabeth. She helped him acclimate to star ship life and fine-tuned his scientific research skills. He was learning so much, getting a crash course in Galaxy Fleet training, all within the span of almost two weeks. He was definitely cut for this life.

The _Enterprise_ returned the next day with no new news.

“This is getting frustrating,” Charanel grumped from his station. “It’s hurry up and wait.”

“I know. At this point, no news is good news,” I said, looking over the long range scans. There was something that caught my eye. Upon further investigation, it was just an asteroid that had veered off course. There were no other spatial anomalies, laron emissions, gamma radiation or other indications that there was war on the horizon.

“Emperor, you have an incoming transmission from Captain Riker,” said my comm officer, a mated Cygnarian woman named P’ria. “Do you want me to contact Empress Nirabelle?”

“Yes, have her join me on the bridge,” I replied. “Once she arrives, put Captain Riker on the view screen.” Bella came onto the bridge almost immediately after P’ria contacted her. She settled next to me, her fingers threaded with mine. “On screen, P’ria.”

“Emperor,” Captain Riker grunted, his face ashen. “We’ve received a message.”

“I take it’s not a good one,” I whispered.

“No, sir. We were running our long-range scans when we discovered bio-matter about two light years from our current position. One of the stealth ships went to retrieve it. It was a body,” Captain Riker explained, his voice robotic.

“Was this person dead when they were exposed to space?” Bella asked, her fingers tightening around mine.

“They were transported out into space alive,” Captain Riker choked out. “Their lungs froze in an instant, causing the chest cavity to implode.”

“Do you know who?” I muttered.

“It’s one of Norex’s children,” Captain Riker said. “The message was encoded in their DNA.”

“Which one?” Bella gasped.

“A woman, Norelle,” Captain Riker answered. “My doctor is performing an autopsy and we’re working on decrypting the message from her body. It’s written in that same language that the communications between the nobles used on Forx.”

“Was she …?” Bella asked, her blue eyes dimming and her spots turning a sickly gray, along with her skin. Captain Riker nodded, his face drawn into a deep frown. “Can you send the message?”

“On its way, Empress,” Captain Riker.

Her computer console beeped and she sent it the message to Charanel. His fingers flew over the console and he worked quickly, his brow furrowed. With a growl, he looked up. “ _Snir._ ”

“What?” I asked.

“We have two days,” Charanel answered. “Two days before they reach the Cygnarian border. Captain, I’d suggest you run continuous scans and polaron sweeps, checking for laron particles and gamma radiation. They may be closer than we think, masking their jump signatures and stealth technology. Also, have your doctor synthesize this medication. It’s an inoculant for thalaron radiation. It will slow the radiation’s damage to biological tissues.”

“I received the inoculation parameters. I’ll be in contact once we find evidence that the Alliance is on their way,” Captain Riker. “Empress Nirabelle, I’m so sorry for your loss. Is there anything you need for us to do with Norelle’s body?”

“Keep it in stasis. We’ll perform the _H’aaruune_ once this war is fought,” she said, tears falling from her eyes. “Fought and won, Captain.”

“We will go down fighting, Empress. I promise you that,” Captain Riker growled. “Riker out.”

I could feel my mate’s anguish, anger and sorrow. Her hand was gripping mine painfully. “Promise me, Edward,” she hissed.

“Anything,” I vowed.

“Promise me we will not go down. That we will win,” she said, her eyes beseeching me. “Promise me!”

“We will not fall. The Alliance will pay for their atrocities,” I whispered, taking my left hand and pressing it to hers. Our scars from our blood oaths tingled. Bella’s spots glowed a bright orange. “I promise you. And I promise you that we will be alive at the conclusion of this.”

“I promise you, N’essie, Norelle … Father,” she said, glaring at the blank view screen. Blinking back to me, she nodded. “I promise. We promise.”

**A/N: Two days … Two days until the battle will commence. Okay, in fic world, it’ll be more like two weeks. I’ve got to write it, you know? What do you think the Alliance has up their sleeve? Will our _Star Crossed_ lovers survive this? **

**I guess you can imagine what’s going to happen next, a battle of epic proportions. I’m just going to leave it at that. Check out the teaser in a week on the blog. And as always, please leave me some lovin! Pictures of the _Cygnarus, bsh’took, dk’took_ and other goodies are all on my blog, as well. Link for that is in my profile. Thank you for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**I guess you can imagine what’s going to happen next, a battle of epic proportions. I’m just going to leave it at that.**

**Chapter Twenty**

**BPOV**

“Bella, you have to sleep,” Edward whispered, walking to where I was standing in the mess hall. I was staring at the vastness of space, looking at how the stars twinkled innocently and holding a cooling cup of _tala root_ tea. Normally, it soothed me, but the tea unsettled my stomach.  I wrinkled my nose, knowing that my cousin, Norelle, found her death among these same stars. “You haven’t rested since we got the news from Captain Riker.”

“I can’t sleep,” I said, narrowing my eyes, walking to recycle my tea. “Not with the Alliance preparing to slaughter our people. Not with what they did to N’essie, Norelle, Marcusi. It’s overwhelming and sickening, _ti’ane._ ”

“We won’t let that happen and we will avenge the deaths of N’essie and Norelle. We will hopefully save Counselor Marcusi and reunite him with his mate,” Edward replied, turning me to face him and cupping my cheeks with his large, warm hands. “But, in order for us to be at our best, we need to get as much rest as possible. Once the battle has begun, we can’t sleep until it’s over.” He ran his fingers down my spots, which continued to glow a deep orange, the color of determination. “I’m certain that Rose can give you a sedative.”

“No. I do not want to be groggy tomorrow,” I muttered, shaking my head and putting my ear against his chest. I listened to the steady thrum of his strong, pure heart, allowing the beats to calm me. It worked better than any sedative that Rose could have administered or the _tala root_ tea. As I snuggled closer to my mate, my eyelids grew droopy. Edward bent down and picked me up easily, sweeping me off my feet. I leaned my cheek against his shoulder, allowing his warmth to continue to calm me. By the time we got back to our quarters, I was nearly asleep. Edward tucked me into our bed and curled himself around me, protecting both of us from the impending battle. If only we could stay entangled in each other’s arms, hiding away from the dangers that were awaiting us.

“I love you,” he whispered, his lips pressing behind my ear. His arms tightened around me and I let his strong body and his pacifying actions to lure me further into sleep.

I slept deeply until the alarm went off, jolting us out of our tangled heap. My heart was stammering against my ribs, terrified that it was the Alliance attacking my world. I sprang out of bed, reaching for my phaser and scimitars. Edward sat up, holding up his hands in peace. “Bella, _Fíorghrá,_ relax. I can feel your fear. We’re safe.”

I blinked at him, still very confused. He moved closer to me, placing my weapons on the nightstand and gathering me in his arms. I squeezed my eyes shut, shuddering in absolute terror. “The alarm. I heard the alarm go off,” I gasped, clawing at his bare chest.

“Computer, disengage alarm,” Edward said, his hands brushing my hair from my face. “We’re okay, Bella. We’re okay. Nothing’s happening. Not yet. We’re okay.”

“Do you promise that we’ll stay okay?” I asked, sliding my arms around his neck and burying my nose into his neck. “Promise me.” _Please promise me that we will get through this and live happily ever after._

“I promise, Bella. I would die for you,” he murmured.

“No! We have to be together, Edward,” I shrieked, placing my hands on either side of his face. I was panicking, terrified of losing him. “Don’t say that!”

“ _Fíorghrá,_ shhh,” he soothed, taking me in his arms. “I’m not dying. You’re not either. The best way to go into battle is to go in without any sort of expectations. That way, you won’t be disappointed.”

“But, the stakes are so high, Edward,” I said, tears falling down my cheeks. “If we fail, the Cygnarians will be under the control of the Alliance. We can’t let that happen.”

“Bella, we fight for you and me. We fight for our family. Do not think of failing,” he whispered, his lips brushing mine. “Now, let’s bathe together and focus on our victory. We will honor N’essie, Norelle and Charel.” I gulped, nodding and tightening my hold on around his neck. He chuckled, sitting up with me around him. “Hold on tight, spider monkey.”

Despite my fear and underlying anxiety, I laughed. He carried me to our bathroom and turned on the water in the tub. He removed my clothes, placing me inside. I looked up at him, curious if he was going to join me. He slipped off his sleep pants, he slid into the warm water behind me, pulling me to his body. “Do you feel better?” he asked, his hands moving to my shoulders and massaging the stiff muscles.

“I’ll feel better once this is all behind us,” I muttered, my head rolling forward. “I don’t know what to feel otherwise.”

“You’re not the only one, Bella,” Edward said, his hands gliding down my sides and snaking around my belly. His lips found the curve of my neck and he languidly kissed me there.

My eyes fluttered shut and his lips felt so good on my skin. I whimpered, leaning further against him. When his teeth grazed my earlobe, I lost all control. _Make me forget, Edward. Just for a few moments,_ I pleaded. He growled lowly, his palms moving to my breasts. I leaned back against him, pressing my chest further into his hands. “I want to feel you and know your love, knowing that we will have been with each other before …”

“Don’t say it. We will make it,” he murmured, turning me around, and causing the water to slosh over the sides of the tub, settling me over his hips. His fingers ran down my spots and his lips crashed against mine. My hands tangled into his hair and I straddled his waist, feeling his hardness beneath me. “Let me love you, Bella.”

“Please,” I moaned, taking his arousal and guiding it inside me. I felt my body stretch over his as I took him deep within. Our eyes were trained on each other as I slid down his length. My anxiety waned as I felt his body inside mine. _We are one, Edward. I carry your love and your soul in mine. I love you so much_. Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari. _My Edward, my_ ti’ane _._

“Bella,” he breathed against my mouth. His arms banded around me, pulling me ever closer to his hard, muscular body. I rolled my hips, taking him deeper in me. “I don’t have the words to describe what I’m feeling, but let me show you, my beloved.” I moaned, kissing him with all of the adoration I had for him. He was so hard inside of me, loving me with his body.

Twisting my fingers into his hair, I felt my own body quake with my impending release. My spots changed their glow, morphing from orange to bright white of love, jubilation and pleasure. Edward looked up at me and his eyes were sizzling, glimmering a bright emerald green. His fingers found where we were joined and her roughly circled my bundle of nerves, making my body tingle with pleasure and love.

“Come for me, Bella,” he breathed against my mouth, nipping at my lips.

“Yes,” I whimpered. We kissed deeply, his thrusts becoming more erratic. My moans grew louder. I scratched down his back as my climax pulsed throughout me. “Edward, I’m …” I fell back as my sex clenched around his hardness.

“That’s it, baby,” Edward grunted as his hips slammed into me, pushing his erection as far inside me as possible. My jaw dropped as I looked to where we were joined, watching him disappear into my body. Seeing that sent me over the edge and I screamed as my climax shimmered through me, making me seize in absolute euphoria. I felt his body explode inside of me, shooting streams of his release into me. I slumped against his chest, listening to his rapidly pumping heart. “You feel better?”

“I feel more centered,” I panted, giggling lightly and pressing a soft kiss to his chest. “And knowing that I’ve been with you, knowing that you love me will help me get through today; get me through this battle.”

“I needed to feel you, too,” he said, cupping my face. He leaned down and massaged his lips with mine. I whimpered, wanting him again, but a quiet sound broke us apart. Our communicators chirped from the bedroom. “Shit,” he barked. “I don’t want to let you go.”

“Unfortunately, we have to face what’s waiting for us,” I sighed, kissing his neck. Moving, I felt him slip out of me. I got out of the tub and wrapped my body in a fluffy white towel. Shuffling to the bedroom, I tapped on the communicator that was resting on the nightstand. “This is Empress Nirabelle.”

“Empress, this is Senator J’ran. We just received word from Captain Riker. They are registering intermittent gamma radiation and laron wakes heading in their direction. They are going on tactical alert,” he said.

“Do you have an ETA?” Edward asked, his body wrapped in his own towel.

“No, sir. However, from the Cygnarian border to Forx, it’s about six hours at jump factor seven, which is the maximum velocity of the Alphan battle cruisers. I do not know the maximum speed of the Reman ships,” Senator J’ran explained. “They will need to punch through Galaxy Fleet and Cygnarian war fleet in order to get to us. I hope that they don’t get through, but we’re ready for them.”

“Keep an open comm link with Captain Riker,” Edward said, his voice hard and his facial expression tightening. My loving, caring mate was disappearing and Captain Cullen was coming back to the front of his personality. His emotions were turning off and his strategic part of his brain was turning on. Also, I knew that Bella, Edward’s mate was also dissipating. Empress Nirabelle, the cold, proper exterior was reemerging with a side order of hard ass, as Rose called it.  It was necessary to get through this day. “The Empress and I will be on the bridge in a half hour. We need to eat some breakfast and prepare for what’s to come.”

“Understood, Emperor,” J’ran replied. He ended the transmission. I put the communicator back on the dresser in our quarters.

“Bella, I want you to be armed to the teeth,” Edward said, muscles in his jaw tensing. “Get dressed and I’ll give you all that I want you to wear.”

“You, too, Edward,” I frowned. He nodded, pressing a brief but heated kiss to my mouth. When we broke apart, I went to the bathroom to dry my hair. I pulled my hair into an intricate braided up-do with my mourning circlet upon my head. I put on my gray cargo pants and navy blue shirt, along with a matching blue jacket, affixing my communicator onto my jacket. As odd as it was, I missed my regal finery. Wearing this uniform was good for being on a star ship, but I missed my floaty, airy dresses. I’d never complain about wearing them again. I will gladly wear the gowns after this was all over.

“Bella, come here, please,” Edward murmured. He removed my father’s ring and was now wearing a simple, twisted band on his left hand. “I didn’t want to run the risk of losing it. It’s locked in the safe in our closet.”

“You’re probably smart to do that,” I whispered, removing my own ring. “Can you put this next to yours?” He nodded and placed inside of the safe. My finger felt too bare without it and I sniffled. Edward returned, holding a smaller version of his band in his hand. “For me?”

“I want you to wear my ring,” he smiled sadly, sliding it over my knuckle. “They’re a little less bold and a lot more durable.”

“It’s beautiful,” I said, rising on my tiptoes to kiss his soft lips. “Thank you.”

He blushed and rubbed his thumb over my new ring. “It serves another purpose. It has a tracker in it, in case we’re separated. I can show you how to activate the beacon using a tricorder. Now, for today. I want you to wear a phaser, obviously. But keep another one strapped around your ankle.” He hooked a phaser to my hips and crouched down, slipping a smaller one around my left ankle, hiding it with the hem of my pants. “A knife, too.” He attached a thick hunting knife around my right ankle. The last thing he added were my pair of scimitars. “I think you’re ready to go.”

“What about you? You need to prepared,” I said.

He showed me his own phasers and a hidden blade underneath his jacket that resembled half of a _bsh’took._ “We’re going down fighting, Bella.”

“Say you love me,” I pleaded, staring into his evergreen eyes.

“I love you until the last star in the sky burns out,” he whispered, taking my face in his hands. “ _Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari,”_ he said, brushing his lips over mine after each word, repeating the vows taken at our mating ceremony.

“ _Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari,_ ” I sobbed, throwing my arms around his neck. We clung to each other for a few moments before kissing each other hungrily. We broke apart, breathing heavily and clutching at each other’s clothes. “I’m okay. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m a little needy, too,” he chuckled, but stopped abruptly as his stomach gurgled. His eyes widened and he placed his hands on his flat belly. “Come on, Bella. Let’s get something to eat before my insides decide to revolt and eat themselves. Then, we can make our way to the bridge.”

I nodded, threading my fingers with my mate. We walked to the mess hall, eating a huge breakfast since we didn’t know when we’d be able to eat again. After our filling breakfast, we walked slowly to the bridge. I was afraid that my breakfast would make a reappearance since I was so anxious. Edward looked calm, but his mind was going a million miles a second, worrying about what was to come. Settling into our seats, we listened to the comm link that Senator J’ran set up with Captain Riker. Edward had his fingers weaved with mine, slowly rubbing his thumb across my knuckles. We’d be able to hear everything that was happening, but couldn’t chime in unless we opened hailing frequencies. We were just listening to the communications. Edward said it was similar to an old Earth invention called a radio.

From the transmission, we heard that the cloaked vessels were getting closer to the Cygnarian border, but the Reman laron wakes were dissipating while the gamma radiation was increasing. An hour later, the first shot was fired by the Alphans, followed by our first huge loss. One of the Alphan vessels was used as a battering ram. It hit three of the Cygnarian ships at full impulse speed, causing the Cygnarian ships and the Alphan vessel to explode. From Captain Riker’s hypothesis, they lost about three hundred crew while we were hit with a loss of five hundred between the three destroyed vessels. It caused a massive rift in the defensive line and all hell broke loose. On the positive side, within a few hours, all of the Alphan vessels had been destroyed, thankfully. However, the Reman vessels weren’t registering on our sensors. They had disappeared from long range scans. Even with Charanel’s enhanced sensor readings, they were just _gone_.

“This is an elaborate deception,” Charanel grumbled, his brow furrowed and his fingers poking the console angrily. “It has to be. The Reman vessels can’t have just _disappeared._ They wouldn’t have given up, either. Something is not right about all of this.” He huffed out an angry breath, trying some other configuration for the sensors.

“I agree,” Edward said. “Remodulate sensors and check to see if they perhaps found a way to mask their laron wake trail.” Charanel nodded absently, indicating he was already doing it. Edward hailed the other Galaxy Fleet vessels, asking them to do the same.

“What about the other borders of Cygnarian space?” Elizabeth asked from her perch near Charanel. “The one near Deep Space Seven?”

“Charanel, run a scan to see if there are any indications of any ships coming from that location,” Edward barked, his eyes narrowed. He turned his eyes to the display next to his seat, looking at Charanel’s computations.

“Nothing. All I can read is a few Galaxy Fleet ships patrolling that border,” Charanel shrugged. “No gamma radiation or laron particles. But, let me try something.” Charanel’s fingers ran over the console, a low hum radiating from the ship, making the seat vibrate beneath me            .

“What’s that?” I asked, gripping the arms of my seat.

“A magneton sweep?” Edward said, arching a brow. “Right, Charanel.”

“A magneton sweep on steroids,” Charanel snickered. His eyes widened, slapping his hand down on the edge of the console. “Oh, shit!” he barked, using the English curse word he’d heard Edward utter a time or two.

“You’ve been hanging around my brother too much, Charanel,” Elizabeth giggled.

“Tell everyone to raise shields. There are ten … no, TWELVE huge masses heading in this direction at maximum velocity,” Charanel said, his body vibrating in terror. “The Alliance must have found a way to mask their trails and they were undetectable using traditional sensors, even our enhanced sensors. They are due to arrive in about ten minutes if what I’m reading is accurate.”

“Shit is right,” Edward growled. He pressed the button one the console, hailing the entire ship and the Imperial Fleet. “All hands, this is Emperor Cullen. Battle stations.”

The alarms blared and lights dimmed as the red alert sounded. Edward contacted the rest of the fleet with the information that Charanel had interpreted. Buoys were deployed to emit the electrostatic charge to display the Reman ships once they came into weapons range. My concern was about the buoys. Would they work? The Remans had obviously changed their cloaking configuration.

And what about Edward?

 _Edward, are you going to restrain yourself when it comes to firing on the Reman ships?_ I asked mentally.

“No. They will feel the power of the Federation and Imperial Fleet. They will rue the day that they decided to go to war against us,” Edward snarled, his eyes darkening in hatred. _There will be no survivors._

“Sir, I’ve sent messages to Captain Riker and the other Federation vessels in the Cygnarian system, recalling them back to Forx,” Senator J’ran said. “Captain Riker and his ships will be here in a few hours. The other ships are a day away, roughly.”

“Good thinking,” Edward nodded. “Engage all of the Imperial Fighters to protect the major cities on Forx.”

“Understood, sir,” Senator J’ran replied, his fingers flying over the keyboard in front of him. “They have acknowledged your request and are heading to their assigned locations. The remaining fighters are in a synchronous orbit above the capital.”

“How many are there?” I asked.

“About four hundred, plus an additional two hundred in each of the battle cruisers,” Senator J’ran. “Twelve hundred total.”

“Including the personal Imperial Fighter?” I questioned.

“Twelve hundred and one,” Senator J’ran snickered. A low beep registered on his screen. “We’ve got action near one of the buoys, sir.”

“Charanel?” Edward barked.

“It’s a Reman vessel, but I can’t tell the configuration until it interacts with the electrostatic charge,” Charanel replied. He pressed a few buttons and the screen lit up. We could see the _Enterprise_ blanketed by a sea of blackness, with a few twinkling stars. Then, there was a dance of lights, skittering over something. “There!”

“Don’t fire until they do,” Edward snarled, his hands clenched into tight fists. On the screen, the _Enterprise_ jerked and there was an explosion. The Reman ship collided with the _Enterprise._ There was no response from either vessel, assuming they were stunned into complete confusion.

“Can we fire now?” Senator J’ran asked, his hands itching to make the Remans pay for their indiscretions.

“All ships, target that lead vessel. Fire at will,” Edward yelled, standing up from his seat. The screen lit up with the orange beams from the Federation phasers and the bright blue from our plasma cannons. The _Cygnarus_ rocked as our shields were bombarded with their own disruptor fire. “Attack the ship that is firing on us.”

A slew of attack fighters began their bombardment of the ship that had fired on us. We also opened fire, slamming the ship with a barrage of torpedoes and powerful plasma blasts. “Target their bridge and their cloaking emitters,” Edward hissed. “Let’s see how they handle not having a crew to lead them.”

“Aye, sir,” Senator J’ran smirked.

It looked like we were firing on nothing, but every so often, our blasts hit the cloaked vessel. After targeted hits on their cloaking shield, the ship was revealed to us and we opened fire, attacking their bridge. Once that was destroyed, we turned to their engines, working to disable them. The attack fighters did that since we didn’t want to leave our location in the blockade, stopping the remaining Reman ships from entering the atmosphere. All the while, the _Cygnarus_ was being tossed and hit by disruptor fire from opposing vessels, trying to destroy us.

“Edward, the shields are failing around the shuttle bay,” Elizabeth muttered, her eyes narrowing.

“Inform the attack fighters aboard the ship to join the fight, focusing their attention on the ship that is engaged with the _Volvo_ ,” Edward replied. Elizabeth nodded and communicated Edward’s orders. I checked to see if any of the ships had made it past the blockade, but so far we were holding the line. The _Enterprise_ was heavily damaged with a lot of casualties, but was still in the fight, causing the ship that collided with it to become dead in space, venting plasma, on the verge of a jump reactor breach. One of the other Federation ships was using their tractor beam to tow the nearly destroyed ship away from the battle to protect the atmosphere from the explosion, but also closer to the remaining Alliance ships to use their own ship to destroy them.

“Emperor, we’re being hailed,” Rose chirped.

“On screen,” Edward replied.

Before us, there was the darkened bridge of the same Reman ship I was aboard. Vruk was sitting on the chair in the center of the room. On either side, Counselor Caius and Liannette were perched, sneering at us. Standing behind Vruk, Jakob was breathing heavily and looked thinner than the last time I saw him. His illness was rapidly progressing. Counselors Aro and Marcusi were strangely absent and that concerned me. _Edward …_

 _I know, Bella,_ he thought, his eyes grim. “Legate Vruk, we can end this now.”

“Please, we will get what we came for,” Vruk scoffed, his yellow eyes glowering at us. “Your beautiful world will be destroyed and all of the Cygnarians will be our slaves, starting with you, Empress. You will fall to the Alliance and be publicly shamed by Crown Prince Jakob in the eyes of your people.”

“Jakob doesn’t look so good,” I smirked. “He may not be able to perform, looking as weak as he does.”

“I am not weak, _b’tak_!” Jakob snarled. “Your legs will be spread like the _pinotte_ you are and I will impale your _funoch_ until it bleeds. You will die, naked and shamed in front of your people.”

“Just give it up, _xytiria,_ ” Liannette scowled. “You will experience the fate of Norelle, if not worse.”

“Do you not feel any remorse for the death of your daughter?” I screamed, shooting up from my seat. “She was found, floating in space, violated and broken!”

“She deserved it. She was a _xytiria,_ too. She brought shame to our family in helping you, communicating with the enemy,” Liannette snapped, her hands clenched by her sides. “Lianel is receiving his punishment as we speak for shaming our family as well.”

“If anyone was a _xytiria_ , it’s you,” I hissed. “It’s Caius. It’s your worthless, decapitated mate. You will not survive this conflict, Liannette.” _Edward, end the transmission._ My mate hit a button and the screen went black before flipping back to the battle, which we were clearly winning. Out of the twelve Alliance ships, four are still functioning. Three were destroyed, pieces floating in space. Five more were barely able to function, beginning their slow retreat out of Cygnarian space with maneuvering thrusters.

“Sir, the ship that was just communicating with us is heading directly for us. A collision course,” Senator J’ran said, his eyes wide and his hands moving all over his console.

“Get out of the way and reinforce the shields. Fire at will,” Edward said, his cool façade slipping slightly. I could feel his anxiety through our connection. I reached over to him, pressing my hand into his and he calmed. _Thank you, my love._

“Emperor, they are following every move that we make. We can’t lose them,” J’ran barked, his spots glowing in frustration. I looked to Rose, to see if there was any sort of deception on the bridge. Rose must have registered my curiosity. She shook her head, firing the plasma cannons to prevent the Reman ship from crashing into us.

“All hands, brace for impact and arm yourselves,” Edward announced over the comm. _Bella, I want you to go to the fighter and leave the ship._

“No. Not without you,” I growled, looking at my mate. “We’re in this together.”

“Okay,” he said, grasping my neck and pulling me to him, kissing me hard. The bridge was chaotic and the emotions I felt from my mate were confused and very, very scared. He pulled back, his fingers tracing down my spots and resignation in his eyes.

 _Do not say goodbye to me, Edward,_ I admonished mentally. _We will grow old together, see our children have children and have our perfect, happy ending._

“I’m not saying goodbye,” Edward murmured.

“Impact in less than ten seconds!” Charanel shouted. “Hold on to something!”

We threaded our fingers together and the battle cruiser rocked as the Reman ship collided with our shields, breaking through them and slamming into duratanium shell. Once the cruiser settled, alarms were blaring and the emotions of the ship spiked. Even I could tell that everyone was on edge. We had just been slammed with a Reman ship and for all we knew, it was still embedded in our hull.

“Krixxer to Emperor Cullen.”

“Cullen here,” Edward replied.

“Sir, we need you to come down to the mess hall,” Krixxer said. “The Reman ship is stuck inside of our vessel. Shields are holding, but not for long.”

“Krixxer, evacuate the decks that are affected by the breach and collapse the interior duratanium doors,” Edward said. “Post guards at each access point and make sure they are heavily armed. Remans and Alphans are brutal in a fight.”

“Understood, sir. Do you want to inspect the damage?” Krixxer asked.

Rose slapped her hand down, shaking her head. Krixxer was up to something. Edward narrowed his eyes. “No. I’ll inspect it once the battle is done.”

“Sir, I’ll go down and inspect the damage,” D’Metri said. Edward hit the mute button. “What is it, Emperor?”

“Krixxer is up to something. I need you to make sure that the duratanium doors are closed,” Edward said. The ship rocked again. “What the …?”

“Edward, the Reman ship is pulling out of our hull, hoping to cause more damage,” Charanel replied.

“Emperor, I assume that Krixxer wanted you to be in that mess hall when the ship was pulling back, sucking you into the vacuum of space,” D’Metri growled. Rose nodded in agreement. “When you declined to go, he told them to pull back.”

“Put Krixxer into the brig,” Edward said.

“The brig is gone, Edward,” Charanel muttered. “It was one of the sections destroyed by the Reman collision.”

“Fine, bring him up here and secure him to that bulkhead,” Edward spat, pointing to a location near his office. D’Metri nodded, taking Charanel with him, leaving the bridge and coming back a few moments later with a surly, cranky Krixxer. His hands were bound. “Put him over there, far away from any instruments.”

“You will not win this conflict, _sir,_ ” he sneered.

“I beg to differ. Look at the screen. How many Alliance ships are still functioning? Three? Four? Out of twelve?” Edward laughed, glaring at Krixxer. “And what did you get out of this arrangement?” Krixxer scoffed. Edward got up, whipping out the blade from behind his jacket and pressing it against Krixxer’s neck. “I’ll ask you again. You answer and you fucking live.”

“Norelle,” he replied, his eyes wide with terror.

“Norelle’s dead,” I muttered. “They used and abused her, jettisoning her into space.”

“What?” Krixxer screamed.

Edward dropped his blade and pushed up Krixxer against the bulkhead with his forearm, cutting off his air supply. My mate was enraged. One of his crew had betrayed him. I feared that he would kill Krixxer, but he had deceived us. It would be a justified death. “What else do you know? What else did you tell them?!”

“Nothing. I only said that I’d try to get you down to the damaged areas of the ship after they crashed into our hull, causing a breach,” Krixxer choked out. “I abjectly refused to give them our shield frequencies. If they really wanted to end this, they needed to fight fair.”

“And by causing the death of the emperor is fighting fair?” I asked, my spots glowing bright red. Krixxer let out a strangled groan as Edward slammed our engineer against the bulkhead, causing his skull to smack against the metal framing. “And you betrayed us, not knowing your ‘payment’ was now dead. Who approached you? Who asked you to do this?”

“Aro approached me once you discovered the existence of the Imperial Fleet, but Liannette finalized our transaction with the promise of her oldest daughter,” Krixxer wheezed out. “I got an encrypted communication just before the Alliance fleet arrived at Forx, reminding me of our deal.”

Edward released him, causing him to fall harshly on his behind. “You will join Liannette, Caius, and Aro in their punishment, should they survive this battle,” Edward hissed. “You will be executed for treason.” Krixxer’s head fell to his chest and he gulped. “Status report.”

“All of the Reman vessels that were attacking us have stopped. The few that are able, are limping back to Alphan space,” Charanel snorted.

“What about the ship that collided with us?” I asked.

“I can’t get any clear readings from that ship. They’ve erected some sort of masking field around the ship,” Charanel answered.

“Check on the surface,” Edward muttered. “Check for Reman bio signs. Alphan …”

“There are Reman and Alphan bio signs. All of them are converging on the Imperial Palace,” Charanel gasped. “In addition to that, there is chaos in the capital.”

“All Imperial Fighters, fly into the atmosphere and assist the ground troops in the Imperial City,” Edward said. “Rose, hail all of the Federation ships, informing them of the ground fight.”

“Are we going to join them?” D’Metri asked, lifting up Krixxer and snarling at him.

“What do you think?” Edward smirked, walking back to his seat. “Senior staff, meet me in the transporter room.”

“Transporters are offline, Edward,” Charanel grimaced. “The computer core took heavy damage with the collision.”

“Fine, all senior staff meet me at our Imperial Attack Fighter,” Edward growled, shoving his blade back behind his coat. “Bring this _snirap_ with us. I do not trust him aboard the vessel.” D’Metri dragged Krixxer and we all made our way to the shuttle bay. It was heavily damaged; force fields were protecting us from the vacuum of space. We boarded the attack fighter. D’Metri threw Krixxer into a small cage, locking him to the wall and sealing the door with his phaser. Edward and J’ran settled into the front seats, working through the pre-flight sequences quickly so we could get to the surface faster. Rose took a seat at one of the other consoles and I sat next to Maralice. She was looking ashen, worried for Jasper.

“Have you heard from him?” I asked.

“Just before the fight began, he told me he loved me,” Maralice murmured, smiling anxiously. “Using our connection, he said he’d give up all of this for me. I haven’t heard from him since. I don’t feel the emptiness like when Jamel died, but what if he’s injured?”

“Don’t worry about that now. We’ll find out what’s wrong with Jasper,” I whispered, hugging her close. She crumbled a little bit in my arms but stopped once the ship shuddered as it took off from its perch in the shuttle bay. Smoothly, we exited the _Cygnarus_ , leaving it in control of one of the senior commanders, and flew down to the planet’s surface. However, the atmosphere was filled with smoke, smog and pollution. As we broke through the clouds, the Imperial City was in flames. “Oh, no! The palace?”

“It’s still intact, but the Remans and Alphans are setting everything on fire, Nirabelle,” Charanel frowned. “Edward, land inside of the palace, on the lawn where I taught you the basics for _giju’ri_.”

“Understood,” Edward nodded, inputting the coordinates into the computer. We easily glided through the atmosphere, but the damage to the capital was horrendous. Imperial Fighters were doing their best to stop the ground troops, but the weapons fire was causing more damage than the Reman and Alphan fighters in the streets. Maneuvering the fighter, Edward landed it on the lawn behind the palace. It was unharmed, but the closing enemies were almost to our doorstep.

I was grateful that I had the forethought to take all of the ancient relics, jewelry and memories from my childhood to our summer home in _Ch’ich._ Maralice had Jerasse, Tia, L’aurien and a few other hand maidens handle the transfer of the priceless items. I received a picture upon their safe arrival aboard the _Cygnarus._ They were located in a safe underneath the house. After Jerasse shut the safe, only Edward or I could access it with our retinal scans.

“Edward, they’re getting closer to the palace,” Charanel whimpered as we landed on the lawn. “Good news is that the remaining Alliance ships have begun their trek back to Alphan space. Captain Picard said that they would not be bothering us again. They were no match for the Cygnarian Imperial Fleet and the Federation. The troops on the surface and on the ship that collided with the _Cygnarus_ are on their own.”

“So, Vruk and Jakob are not the leaders of the Alliance?” Senator J’ran asked.

“Apparently not,” Charanel shrugged. “Legate Vruk and Crown Prince Jakob were in charge of this attack, but not the leaders of the Alliance. And suffice it to say, the Alphans are no longer members since almost all of their ships and crews have been killed in the attack.”

“They were cannon fodder,” Edward snorted humorlessly. He powered down the fighter and we got out of it, walking into the palace. “Cullen to Picard.”

“This is Picard.”

“How is everything going up there? Your ship?” he asked.

“We’re a little worse than the _Cygnarus._ We will have to have some extensive repairs before we can head back out into open space, but from what we’ve heard, the Alliance is not going to be a problem any time soon. They are returning to their space after we exchanged a peace treaty. The troops on the surface are no longer a part of the Alliance and on their own,” Picard snickered. “However, do you need assistance on the surface?”

“That would be helpful, if you can spare a few people, or a hundred,” Edward deadpanned. There was a loud bang on the locked door. “Have them beam down directly into the palace. Contact the _Volvo_ and any other available ship to send down reinforcements.”

“Understood,” Picard replied.

“Cullen out,” Edward snarled, pulling out his blade and his phaser. “The Alliance may be on its way out of here, but we still need to contend with Jakob, Vruk, Liannette and Caius.”

“And from the anger I’m feeling from you, they won’t survive this?” Rose asked, her phaser out and ready.

“That would be affirmative,” Edward hissed. _They are going to pay for their treason with their lives. N’essie, Norelle, and Charel will have their lives avenged._ “With our blood, I will not let our people down.”

“With our blood, I will not let our people down,” I repeated, twisting my scimitars and preparing to end this. Once. And. For. All.

**A/N: The space battle is over, for all intents and purposes. But, we have a lot of unanswered questions. What will happen with Vruk, Jakob and the rest of that motley crew? Is Counselor Marcusi okay or is he in on it? Now, there are a few pictures with this chapter and they are on my blog. Also, you can find translations for the words, in case you’ve forgotten them, on the blog as well. I’ve uploaded the most recent edition of the glossary onto the _Star Crossed_ blog. **

**Up next will be the continuation of this chapter, in Edward’s POV. He’s one pissed emperor. Vruk and Jakob won’t know what hit them. And I think we may have three more chapters, including an epilogue? Maybe? Perhaps?**

**As always, please leave me some lovin. I’d appreciate some lovin since I don’t get any from a significant other. God, I need a boyfriend. *Snorts* Thanks for reading, kids! MWAH!**

_Te-atée miru, ti’ane miru, sa-ahari ~ one soul, one love, forever_

 

 

 


	21. Chapter 21

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be the continuation of this chapter, in Edward’s POV. He’s one pissed emperor. Vruk and Jakob won’t know what hit them. And I think we may have three more chapters, including an epilogue? Maybe? Perhaps?**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**BPOV**

Smoothly, we exited the ship, leaving it in control of one of the senior commanders, and flew down to the planet’s surface. However, the atmosphere was filled with smoke, smog and pollution. As we broke through the clouds, the Imperial City was in flames. “Oh, no! The palace?”

“It’s still intact, but the Remans and Alphans are setting everything on fire, Nirabelle,” Charanel frowned. “Edward, land inside of the palace, on the lawn where I taught you the basics for _giju’ri_.”

“Understood,” Edward nodded, inputting the coordinates into the computer. We easily glided through the atmosphere, but the damage to the capital was horrendous. Imperial Fighters were doing their best to stop the ground troops, but the weapons fire was causing more damage than the Reman and Alphan fighters in the streets. Maneuvering the fighter, Edward landed it on the lawn behind the palace. It was unharmed, but the closing enemies were almost to our doorstep.

I was grateful that I had the forethought to take all of the ancient relics, jewelry and memories from my childhood to our summer home in _Ch’ich._ Maralice had Jerasse, Tia, L’aurien and a few other hand maidens handle the transfer of the priceless items. I received a picture upon their safe arrival aboard the _Cygnarus._ They were located in a safe underneath the house. After Jerasse shut the safe, only Edward or I could access it with our retinal scans.

“Edward, they’re getting closer to the palace,” Charanel whimpered as we landed on the lawn. “Good news is that the remaining Alliance ships have begun their trek back to Alphan space. Captain Picard said that they would not be bothering us again. They were no match for the Cygnarian Imperial Fleet and the Federation. The troops on the surface and on the ship that collided with the _Cygnarus_ are on their own.”

“So, Vruk and Jakob are not the leaders of the Alliance?” Senator J’ran asked.

“Apparently not,” Charanel shrugged. “Legate Vruk and Crown Prince Jakob were in charge of this attack, but not the leaders of the Alliance. And suffice it to say, the Alphans are no longer members since almost all of their ships and crews have been killed in the attack.”

“They were cannon fodder,” Edward snorted humorlessly. He powered down the fighter and we got out of it, walking into the palace. “Cullen to Picard.”

“This is Picard.”

“How is everything going up there? Your ship?” he asked.

“We’re a little worse than the _Cygnarus._ We will have to have some extensive repairs before we can head back out into open space, but from what we’ve heard, the Alliance is not going to be a problem any time soon. They are returning to their space after we exchanged a peace treaty. The troops on the surface are no longer a part of the Alliance and on their own,” Picard snickered. “However, do you need assistance on the surface?”

“That would be helpful, if you can spare a few people, or a hundred,” Edward deadpanned. There was a loud bang on the locked door. “Have them beam down directly into the palace. Contact the _Volvo_ and any other available ship to send down reinforcements.”

“Understood,” Picard replied.

“Cullen out,” Edward snarled, pulling out his blade and his phaser. “The Alliance may be on its way out of here, but we still need to contend with Jakob, Vruk, Liannette and Caius.”

“And from the anger I’m feeling from you, they won’t survive this?” Rose asked, her phaser out and ready.

“That would be affirmative,” Edward hissed. _They are going to pay for their treason with their lives. N’essie, Norelle, and Charel will have their lives avenged._ “With our blood, I will not let our people down.”

“With our blood, I will not let our people down,” I repeated, twisting my scimitars and preparing to end this. Once. And. For. All.

**EPOV**

I glared at the door that was being pounded against with some sort of battering ram. The door was easily four meters high made out of solid _pirna_ wood. They were heavy and durable, but obviously were struggling against the forces of the impacts that the Reman and Alphan soldiers were causing. The Imperial Guard was blocking the doorway and a great deal of Federation soldiers were transporting to our location. I could also hear distant phaser fire from the MACOs outside of the palace, but it seemed to not make any difference. The repetitive banging filled the throne room. The throne room was filled with over two hundred people, all ready to end this.

However, it did not feel like it was enough.

I was deeply concerned for our well-being and the likelihood of winning this ground assault. The Reman and Alphans had nothing to lose while we had so much to fight for.

The door nearly shattered with the final blow, crumbling to the ground. A swarm of Reman and Alphan soldiers ran into the throne room and the fight began in earnest. Phaser fire filled the throne room. I had mine set to the maximum setting, shooting as many Alphans and Remans as I could. Bella was using her own phaser, but she was not as successful since she was not comfortable with the particle weapon. Maralice moved closer to my mate, acting as her protector since she was better skilled with the phaser.

I also began moving toward my mate. I trusted Maralice, but she was so small. I had to protect my Bella from the melee. I used my phaser to shoot anything that wasn’t wearing an Imperial uniform or a Galaxy Fleet insignia. Alphans and Remans were dropping like flies from the weapons fire that was aimed at them.

However, because of the weapons fire, both the Alphans and Remans grew more frustrated and then began using their other weapons. The Remans used their scimitars while the Alphans wielded their _bsh’tooks_ , attacking us with an animalistic ferocity that made me tremble with terror. They were becoming unhinged, knowing that they may not win this battle. We all fought for over two hours and the stream of attackers never seemed to stop. We were exhausted, sore and covered with bruises, singed uniforms and dripping with sweat. My mate was fighting a losing battle with the pains in her leg and she collapsed onto her knees, panting heavily.

I was distracted by an enraged Alphan, coming at me with his _bsh’took_ , aiming for my head. I blocked him and used one of Bella’s scimitars to stab him in the belly. He wouldn’t stop and we fought hard, crashing against the thrones. We twisted and turned until I was straddled on his chest. Using the scimitar and my own blade, I swept them across his neck, easily decapitating the Alphan. His arms and legs collapsed while his head rolled away.

I heard a painful yelp and I looked up from my perch on the dead Alphan. A Reman came up behind Bella, wrapping his arms around my mate. His hand was twisted in her braid, pulling her neck at an awkward angle. She was squirming in his hold as he took out a smaller knife, cutting at her uniform and slicing at the pale skin at her neck. He was whispering in her ear. From her thoughts, his words were disgusting and made her stomach revolt. I turned, hopping up off the dead Alphan. I ran toward Bella, shooting the Reman monster in the head before he could cause any more damage to my mate. Her neck was bleeding, trickling down her neck and onto her uniform.

His hold on my mate loosened when I shot him. Bella jumped away, watching as the Reman fell to the ground, his eyes wide open and fixed in the vacant stare of death. “Come here, Bella,” I said, reaching for her. She grasped my hand, falling into my arms. _Are you okay?_

“I’m fine,” she replied, nodding and trembling. I held her closer as she sobbed brokenly. Maralice made her way to us to seal Bella’s wound on her neck with a dermal regenerator that was in her satchel around her body. We took a few breaths, allowing our bond to give us renewed strength and focus. Bella managed to calm herself down, but there was still a battle being waged all around us.

Our reunion was short since there was an Alphan barreling toward us. I moved Bella behind me and I pulled out my blade, swiping it upwards disemboweling our attacker. However, he didn’t stop his attack. He used his _bsh’took_ , thrusting blindly at me. I fought with him, but despite his wound and weakness from his radiation poisoning, he was strong. “You are a Cygnarian _extapi!_ I will drink your blood when you are dead.”

“With what? Your bowels are hanging out of your stomach, asshole!” I snapped, spinning away and hitting him on the back of his head. He growled, jabbing at me but he choked. His black eyes widened and he fell onto his knees. Collapsing onto the ground, I saw Jasper standing about fifty meters away, holding up his phaser. I nodded, thanking him silently before pulling out my other phaser and shooting at more attacking Alphans and Remans since I had depleted the power cell in the initial phaser.

The sun was slowly setting and the attackers were lessening, thankfully. Unfortunately, the Imperial City was in flames, including several portions of the Imperial Palace. Bella’s empress suite was destroyed, along with the ballroom, and the servants’ quarters. My suite was damaged, but not destroyed and the structural integrity of the throne room was questionable at best. The only part of the palace that wasn’t touched was the southern wing where the Moon Garden and burial crypts were located.

By nightfall, the most of the Remans and Alphans were either killed or captured, being transported to the prison on Cygnaria Prime using the Imperial Attack Fighters. There were only a few pockets of active fighting, and that was being handled by the Federation MACOs. Vruk, Jakob, Caius, Liannette and Aro were still missing. Even though the fighting seemed to be dwindling, I knew the war was far from over.

“Here, Edward,” said Jasper, handing me a water bottle. We were in the streets of the Imperial City, just outside of the palace, checking the damage caused by the fires, phasers and grenades. Bella, along with Maralice, D’Metri, Charanel and J’ran, were checking the damages to the palace. I told her to stay inside, not wanting her out in the open. I was afraid that she’d be killed by phaser fire or by a sneak attack. In addition to the Federation personnel, there were the Imperial Guards and the MACOs protecting the palace. Jasper walked over to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “How are you doing? That’s a nasty gash on your arm.”

“I’m fine,” I said, taking the bottle and downing most of it in one gulp. “I don’t really feel it. I’m just _numb_ everywhere. I’m so exhausted and sore that I’m numb.”

“It could also be shock. You’re bleeding pretty heavily, Edward,” Jasper snorted. “Is that your only injury?”

“I’ve got a pretty deep cut to my back, a few minor phaser burns and I think I have some sort of muscular issue in my foot. A sprained ankle or a pulled something or another,” I shrugged, hobbling down the steps and sitting down heavily. “How is it going in the palace?”

“The bodies are being removed after being thoroughly scanned,” Jasper said. “No sign of Vruk or Jakob. Though, all of the Alphans, if they hadn’t died in this battle, would have died within the next few months. The cellular degradation from the radiation poisoning is quite severe.”

“Could the blood that was found in Marcusi’s home belong to an Alphan?” I asked, taking another healthy swig of water.

“It would make sense. The cellular degradation was extensive, making the DNA virtually unrecognizable,” Jasper shrugged. “Sir, I’m surprised.”

“About what?” I asked, getting up and moving closer to a shop that was now a pile of smoking ash.

“Why you’re not hovering over Empress Nirabelle?” Jasper asked, his brow arched. “You two are usually attached at the hip. Especially with Jakob, Vruk, and the rest of the traitors unaccounted for, I figured you’d be her shadow.”

“I wanted to stay, but Bella said she needed some space. Not from me, but from everyone. However, with the looming threat of those …” I trailed off, curling my lip in anger. “I should be back there. I want to be back there. But, she needs to calm down. Her emotions are running the gambit right now. Not to mention, she’s in excruciating pain from her leg injury. I’m giving her space. I can still hear her, feel her, but I’m close enough to get to her in a heartbeat.”

“Did you acquire super speed as a part of your connection?” Jasper quipped.

“No,” I snorted, placing a black sticker onto the falling bricks of the smoking shop, indicating that there was a casualty inside. I saw the remains of a charred hand and burnt scalp when I passed my flashlight over the top of the ashes. My tricorder indicated that there were no life signs. “It’s a wonderful new invention called a transporter.”

“You should use the transporter to go up to the _Cygnarus_ to get medical attention, Emperor Smart Ass,” Jasper chuckled. “I think all of the blood loss is affecting your brain.”

We worked through a half a kilometer of debris, marking the homes, shops and buildings with black stickers for casualties of war. The buildings that were more stable, we sent in Federation medical teams and Cygnarian physicians to assess the injured. Kunnan wanted me to come with him back to the palace so he could treat me, but I waved him off. I truly was numb from the undoubtedly agonizing pain I was enduring. Compared to the pain of the _em’tuuk_ gas, this was nothing.

When I stumbled for the twentieth time, Jasper contacted the _Volvo_ to transport me back to the palace. I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to slip into Bella’s bathtub, soaking for a few hours.

_Oh, wait. I can’t. That part of the palace has been destroyed._

Just as I was getting ready to be transported, my mate’s mind screamed for me. Her sheer terror made my heart stammer. “Jasper, transport me back the palace! Now!”

“What is it?” he asked.

I didn’t need his questioning or hesitation. I slapped my communicator. “Cullen to Volvo, two to beam directly to the Imperial Palace! Energize!” I barked, pulling out my blade.

As the transporter made my stomach tingle, my exhaustion dissipated as fear and adrenaline took its place. Materializing in the throne room, we saw more carnage. D’Metri was on the ground, his head no longer attached to his body. Senator J’ran was on his knees with a disruptor between his eyes, being held captive by Liannette. Maralice was an unconscious heap near D’Metri as Jakob, Vruk and Caius were holding Bella and Charanel at bay with their own weapons. Jakob’s _bsh’took_ was dripping with blood, presumably from decapitating D’Metri.

“Give it up,” I snarled, holding up my phaser. “You’ve lost. All of your soldiers are dead. Your Alliance has abandoned you. Give. It. Up.”

“No!” Liannette growled, turning and firing her disruptor at me. She got me in the chest and I slid across the _pirna_ wood floors. Bella sobbed, but I heard the distinct sound of someone slapping her. I heard someone fall to the ground and I watched as Charanel slumped in a heap next to D’Metri. _Was Charanel dead? Please, don’t let him be dead._ My chest was on fire, but I was not dead, thankfully. Her disruptor was not on the kill setting. I was not going to die today and certainly not by the hand of Liannette.

Groaning, I sat up and shot my own phaser, knocking the disruptor out of Liannette’s hand. Unfortunately, my weapon was set to kill. Her hand flew off along with the disruptor. She screamed, gripping her cauterized stump. J’ran backhanded her, knocking her unconscious and securing her with a set of handcuffs on her remaining limb to a nearby wrought iron decorative fence.

“You should have stayed away, J’ran,” Caius growled, thrusting a knife into J’ran’s side. He fell to his knees, gripping his side as blood poured from the wound. Caius scoffed, turning toward me. “If anyone has lost, it’s you and this _xytiria_ and her disgusting mate.” Caius glared at me as I got to my feet. I cracked my neck, walking slowly back to where my mate, my _reason_ for living was being held by Vruk. His claws were digging into her uniform, causing tears in the fabric and revealing her body. “And you! Your mating with this treasonous whore will be the downfall of all Cygnaria! You’ve claimed her. I can smell your human stench all over her body. It disgusts me.”

“No, that would be scent of the burning corpses that your Alliance caused,” I smirked, running toward him, flipping my blade and stopping just a hairsbreadth away from Caius’s neck. He whimpered, falling to his knees, holding his hands up meekly in a gesture of surrender. “You are a coward. You’ve lost, Caius. Throw in the towel, you worthless, sniveling little weasel.”

“We are not giving up!” roared Jakob, tossing Charanel aside and trying to get to my mate. “I will make Nirabelle mine, claiming her in front of all of these worthless Cygnarians!” Jakob coughed, his body quaking with the power of his coughs.

Maralice was beginning to rouse. Jasper moved so he was closer to her since everyone was distracted by Jakob’s coughing fit. She squeaked, seeing her friend and fellow envoy dead next to her. Jasper helped her to her feet and handed her another phaser rifle. They were using their connection to communicate. Maralice ducked away while Jasper moved the opposite direction.

Bella was whimpering since Vruk’s hold on her was too tight. I could see blood staining her shirt from his talons digging into her pale flesh. Jakob had also coughed all over her, covering her with his own purple-tinged blood. I wanted to use my weapon to slice Caius’s head clean off, but we needed answers. As I was distracted by Jakob, Caius swept his leg beneath mine and pulled out a disruptor from beneath his robes, aiming it between my eyes as I landed heavily onto my back. “We’re not done yet, _Emperor_ ,” he sneered, his pink eyes blazing with pure hatred and malice.

“NO! Don’t hurt him!” Bella screamed, wriggling in Vruk’s arms, causing his hold to tighten and for her cuts to deepen. “Please?”

“Why should we give him mercy when he slaughtered so many of our people?” Caius asked. “The stench of death is disgusting in here, permeating through the entire palace. You are a monster, Captain Cullen. We should have never contacted the Federation. If you hadn’t gotten involved, this would have never happened!” He swore in Cygnarian, calling me a treasonous, hateful asshole who defiled the very ground I was lying on with my mere existence.

“That’s you. What you did to N’essie, Norelle, Marcusi … it’s abhorrent,” I hissed, interrupting his angry tirade and snarling up at him. “Those people were innocent.”

“So was Norex!” Liannette cried from her confined position. “Nirabelle murdered him in cold blood, ending his life without the decency of a trial.”

“I did offer him a trial and the Council of Elders found him guilty of treason,” Bella yelled back, glaring at Caius’s head.

“I did not. Aro and Marcusi said he was guilty. Being as I was on his side, I found him innocent. I thought Aro would do the same, but apparently, he buckled under the sway of Marcusi,” Caius mumbled petulantly. “Aro was just as entrenched in this as I was.”

“Where is he?” I asked, keeping him talking. “Where is your brother? Both of them, really?”

“Aro was a fool. He was arguing with Vruk over something or another. Some sort of attack tactic and Vruk found him to be an insignificant, annoying gnat that wouldn’t shut up. Vruk cut out Aro’s tongue,” Caius shrugged nonchalantly. “Unfortunately, the wound got infected and Aro is no longer in his right mind. He’s a drooling _yanhesh_ aboard the Reman attack cruiser. I can’t bring myself to kill him because he’s still my brother, but it’s almost too cruel for us to let him live.”

“We can do what we did for Norelle and Lianel,” Liannette spat. “Put him into the airlock and forget that he’s in there, opening the hatch.”

“I’m not heartless like you,” Caius spat. “I still have loyalties to my brothers, despite their flaws. You essentially had your daughter raped by the Alphan and Reman soldiers aboard the vessel and Lianel was whipped until his skin was torn to the bone.”

“ENOUGH!” Vruk screamed. “It’s no wonder why this failed!” He tossed Bella onto the ground, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a disruptor, aiming it at Caius’s head. “I will blow off your head if you don’t shut your mouths.”

Jakob took that opportunity to grab Bella. He inhaled her hair and pawed at her body. She was disgusted that his hands were doing what I did in palming her breasts and cupping her sex. She wanted me and needed him to stop. Her fear was causing her to clam up. _Bella, listen to my voice. I need you to be strong. You can end him._

 _Edward, I can’t_ , she mentally cried, her body shutting down.

 _No! Use your scimitars. Kill him. You’re mine. You will always be mine. Never his. Your hands are free and you can do this._ I was sickened at what I was seeing, but I had to get through to her. _I love you and you are so strong. End him. Make him pay for what he’s doing to you. What he did to N’essie, Norelle … Bella!_

She snapped her eyes open and she unsheathed her scimitars. With a guttural yell, she twisted out of his hold and danced away, her blades flying. Jakob was not moving after she had maneuvered out of his grasp. She smirked, kicking her foot into the center of his chest. His head went one way, his body went another way and his hands fell limply onto the ground in front of him. With an angry sneer, she twisted her scimitars up and caught Vruk’s head between the two sharp blades. He was in shock, his yellow eyes wide with fear. “Your reign of terror on my planet is now over, Vruk. You’ve lost. Yield, and I’ll show you mercy and lock you away for the rest of your natural life. Continue to fight and you will join Caius and Liannette on the _giju’ri_ field for your execution.”

“I … I …” Vruk stuttered, his body shuddering and his face wracked with indecision.

Bella narrowed her eyes, moving her hands quickly and Vruk fell to the ground. His green blood spilled onto the floors and he was dead, just like Jakob. “He was taking too long to reply,” Bella said, wiping her blades on the body of Vruk. “I’m not the scared little girl anymore.” She looked up and nodded. Two shots rang through the throne room and Caius and Liannette were hit with phaser fire. Caius slumped onto me. I rolled him, checking his pulse and saw that he was only stunned. Jasper was sheathing his phaser on the holster on his hip while Maralice was making her way back down to the main level of the throne room.

Bella ran over to her brother and checked his body, her fingers pressed to his neck. “Oh, thank the Gods. He’s only unconscious,” she said, wiping his face with her jacket, snuggling to his prone form. I got up with the help of Jasper, who had made it down from his perch behind the thrones. He put a pair of cuffs on Caius’s wrists while Maralice attended to Liannette. I limped over to Bella and pulled her into my arms, hissing in pain as her hold was too tight for my sore, aching body. “Is it over?” she asked, her voice weary and her soul shattered.

“The fighting is over, Bella. But, we have a long way to go,” I whispered.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

It was decided that after the battle, that we would go into hiding. There was a large home located inland a few hours away near the province of _Port’ange’les._

Okay, not necessarily hiding, but we needed to get away from the Imperial City. Most of the city was destroyed from the battle and the scent of decaying flesh and burning wood was too much, making Bella sick to her stomach. It was too much for everybody who lived in the Imperial City. The entire two hundred square kilometers of the city were a zone of absolute destruction. Buildings, shops, and homes were crumbling to the ground. There were huge rifts in the streets from the phaser fire from the fighters. Out of the population of five million residents of the city, close to three-quarters of a million were missing and presumed dead. A huge rescue mission was mounted along with huge plans to rebuild the city, bigger and better.

But, being in the city was a cruel reminder of the horrific battle that took place only a few days prior.

We had to leave. It was necessary for our safety and mental well-being. Bella also wanted me to get the proper care since my wounds were far more extensive that I led on. Then again, I was a stubborn son-of-a-bitch.

Bella also worked like hell to get all of the displaced citizens of the Imperial City temporary housing in nearby cities and villages. Knowing that she had ended the centuries-long war, the leaders and governors of neighboring provinces were more than willing to open up their arms for the refugees,  providing food, shelter, clothing and medical attention for as long as was needed.

D’Metri was our only casualty from the Imperial staff, surprisingly. Bella was going to perform the _H’aaruune_ rite for him once things settled down and the damage in the capital had been cleared away, giving him the highest honors like she did for N’essie. He would be buried with his family in a small fishing village near _Ch’ich._ She was saddened to lose him since he was a loyal servant and valued friend for both me and her father, devoting his life to the service to the Imperial family. I was more upset at his death since it was so needless, at the end of the battle and by the hands of a monster. From what Maralice told me, he was attacked from behind by Jakob. He was stabbed first before he was decapitated.

It made Bella’s attack on Jakob that much sweeter. That monster finally got what was coming to him and my mate kicked his ass.

_I’m so proud. He got what he deserved._

J’ran was severely injured with the wound that was inflicted by Caius. He’d have a long recovery since the weapon passed through his lungs and came dangerously close to his heart, nicking the sack that surrounded it. Fighting had also aggravated his previous injures that caused him to retire from the Imperial Fleet. He was recuperating in a private room in the largest, state-of-the-art hospital in the _Port’ange’les_ capital.

Charanel was also pretty bad off, too. The concussion he endured caused his mind to regress, slightly. Rose had to transport him aboard the _Volvo_ to look at the damage and correct it with some minor surgery. My sister never left his side and helped him relearn all that he lost from the blow to the head, showing him unending patience and the most devoted love.

Just like Bella was giving me as I recuperated.

I was riddled with broken bones since the _em’tuuk_ gas had an unknown side effect of decalcifying my skeletal structure. Apparently, the molecules bonded with the bones and caused them to weaken significantly. That damage never registered on the scans since it was at the subatomic level, burrowing inside of the cells. It didn’t happen with any Cygnarian victim. It only interacted with my human physiology. It made sense, though. My recovery was easily twice as long and the amount of pain I experienced was unheard of in Cygnarian victims. In addition to that, I had some severe damage to my kidneys from the wound on my back. Kunnan had to replace one of my kidneys with a biomechanical implant. I also had some nerve damage to my arm. Kunnan and Rose were working on a treatment for that, but for now, I couldn’t feel my middle finger on my left hand.

It had been nearly a week since the end of the battle in the Imperial City. Bella and I were in this massive home in the outskirts of the province of _Port’ange’les_ as I was healing from my wounds. Caius was in solitary confinement in a heavily guarded cell in the _Port’ange’les_ capital of De’naalie. Liannette was being held aboard the _Volvo_ since she threatened to kill herself before we got the chance to question her and try her for her crimes. Rose was holding her in sickbay, keeping a close eye on her. We needed to interrogate them so we could find Aro and Marcusi. Aro needed obvious medical attention while Marcusi had to be reunited with his mate since she was fading quickly without his connection.

“Emperor,” called Kunnan. I was sitting in the solarium, reading the various reports from the other provinces on Forx about casualties, damages and pockets of fighting from the few remaining Alphan and Reman fighters on the planet who had evaded our scans. I was fucking sore and grumpy. I prayed that Kunnan was going to administer my pain medication. I needed to feel numb again. “It’s time for your medication to extend your aging.” _Damn it._

“What about something for the pain?” I asked, shifting on the white couch uncomfortably. My back was aching and my tailbone was not liking me since I was on my ass more often than not. Walking was not easy in a pair of braces on my legs and a pair of crutches.

“In an hour, Emperor,” Kunnan smirked, pulling out a hypospray filled with a deep purple liquid. “However, this may help with the pain and give you some more energy. I know that you are exhausted from all of the treatments you’re enduring.”

“And not being able to get comfortable at night doesn’t help matters,” I said, putting my tablet onto the table. “I can’t sleep more than a few hours.”

“I’m surprised that you didn’t collapse from the sheer amount of pain you were in during the hand-to-hand battle in the palace, Emperor,” Kunnan muttered, pressing the hypospray to my neck. “The medical scans that were taken showed so many broken bones and deep, penetrating wounds in your body.”

“It was all the adrenaline,” I quipped dryly. “Once the adrenaline wore off, that’s when the agonizing, blinding pain began.”

“I can only imagine, Emperor,” Kunnan said, shaking his head. “However, working with Dr. Halé, we’re close to creating a serum to reverse the effects of the _em’tuuk_ gas completely, strengthening your bones. They won’t be as brittle, even stronger than they were before. It’s using carbon fibers to net around your bones, embedding into your skeletal structure. With this serum, it would take a photonic warhead to break any of your bones.”

“Yeah, I don’t want a photo torpedo shot at me,” I laughed, causing my ribs to bark in pain. “Ow. Crap.”

“We don’t either. Despite what Caius is spewing, you are loved by your people. You and Empress Nirabelle ended this war. I’m honored to have you as my emperor and to serve you,” Kunnan whispered, bowing reverently.

“Kunnan, you do not serve me. You are an amazing physician and I consider you a friend,” I said, blushing furiously. “Please, call me Edward. You’ve seen me naked.”

“You have the oddest sense of humor, Edward,” he replied, his face flaming. “But, I will try. I, too, consider you a friend.”

“How is Nirabelle?” I asked. “Is she working with your wife?”

“Yes. When I left my office, they were wrapping up and having tea. How are the Empress’s _berannes?_ ”

“Horrible. She is feeling a great deal of guilt for what she did to both Jakob and Vruk,” I frowned. “Since I’m unable to really _sleep_ , I can see her night terrors in full color. She is replaying the execution of those two monsters and feeling so terribly about it.”

“She shouldn’t. The galaxy is a safer place without those …” Kunnan trailed off, his nose flaring with disgust.

“I agree, but I can speak from experience. Killing someone changes you,” I whispered.

“You don’t seem affected.”

“It’s because I’ve done it before. I didn’t like it, but if needed, I’d do again. I won’t let my family be hurt unnecessarily,” I said, nodding curtly. “Hopefully, once we have interrogated Liannette and Caius, we can finally put this behind us and move forward. Forx and the Cygnarian people have been dealt enough tragedy to last a lifetime.”

“And what will you do? I know that you have taken a leave of absence from Galaxy Fleet, but what then? Are you going to resign your commission?” Kunnan asked.

“That’s still a work in progress. Wherever Bella is, that’s home. I don’t think I could leave her for extended missions. It’s also not fair to ask her to come with me since it’s her responsibility to rule over the Cygnarian people. I’m still brainstorming, but I have a few ideas,” I shrugged. I shifted uncomfortably. Kunnan saw my discomfort and he helped me to my feet. I was unsteady, but we moved so we were outside, enjoying the warm sunlight of the late afternoon. Kunnan helped me onto a large chaise lounge overlooking the fresh water pool and we talked for over an hour until Nirabelle came back with Kunnan’s wife, Tal. My mate’s eyes were red and puffy, but there was a calmness in her thoughts that I hadn’t felt since the destructive battle a week prior. They stayed for a few more minutes before leaving. Kunnan had to work a shift at the hospital in De’naalie.

“How are you feeling, _ti’ane?_ ” Bella asked, sitting down on the chaise, brushing my hair away from my face. She still wore her circlet of mourning, but I rarely wore mine since I had some bruising from the numerous blows to my head. “You need a haircut.”

“I know. It’s pretty shaggy,” I said, tugging on the messy strands atop my head. “How are you? You seem better.”

“I am,” she smiled, crossing her legs. “Tal and Rose helped me come to grips with what I’d done. Yes, I took two lives, but they were lives that needed to be lost. In the end, I’ll be responsible for the deaths of two more with Liannette and Caius.”

“You will not be responsible for those deaths. They are receiving a punishment,” I whispered. “Liannette and Caius are traitors. They deserve their punishment, after they’ve served their purpose.”

“When will we interrogate them?” Bella asked, her spots sizzling with her ire.

“Once I am a bit more mobile,” I explained. “I don’t want them to think that they broke me, or you.”

“A wise decision. Rose said that she and Kunnan are close to creating a treatment for the brittleness in your bones,” Bella said, moving so she was cuddled next to me, her head gingerly resting on my shoulder. She had been distant since she was worried about hurting me. I missed my mate, but I understood her trepidation in touching me. There was no part of my body that didn’t hurt. My injuries were physical while hers were emotional, mental. We had a long recovery ahead of us, but I had no doubt that we’d work past it. We just needed to find where Aro and Marcusi were being held.

They weren’t on the Reman ship like Caius and Liannette led us to believe.

Hence, our need to interrogate them. The sooner we would be able to interrogate them, the better.

“I miss hearing the ocean,” Bella murmured, her fingers tracing along my bicep.

“I can imagine,” I chuckled, moving so I could enfold my mate into my arms. “I miss feeling the subtle shudder of the jump drive.”

“We could go up to the _Cygnarus_ to help you. The Imperial Palace is pretty much condemned and will need to be rebuilt,” Bella sighed, her lips pursing. “Thankfully, the southern wing was intact.”

“That’s the wing with Moon Garden and your family’s crypts?”

“Yes,” she said, snuggling closer and loosely wrapping her arms around my waist. “Maralice is working with an architect for some sketches of the new palace. However, we need to approve them before construction could begin in earnest. It may be over a year before we’ll be able to live in the Imperial City.”

“We can stay here in _Port’ange’les_ or spend some time in _Ch’ich,_ ” I suggested.

“I was thinking, possibly, about going back to Earth with you. You’ve seen my world. I want to see yours,” she said, her ears turning a warm pink. “I want to see where you grew up, pictures of you when you were a boy, your history.”

“Where I grew up was aboard the _U.S.S. Bradbury_ ,” I snorted. “Followed by the _U.S.S. Asimov_. I went back to Earth when I was a teenager to go to Galaxy Fleet Academy but was only there for a couple of years before I completed my training and began my service aboard the _U.S.S. Columbia_.”

“Oh,” she said, toying with a loose thread on my shirt.

“But, I’d love to show you Earth. It’s been too long since I’ve been back there and I want to show the world that you’re my mate,” I replied, cupping her chin and encouraging her to look up at me. She smiled, leaning up and kissing my lips, barely brushing our mouths together. “I also need to do the right thing and personally hand over my resignation from Galaxy Fleet to Admiral Forrest.”

“Don’t do that, Edward. Seeing you aboard the _Cygnarus_ – it made me realize that you are too good of a captain to walk away,” Bella said, shooting up and staring at me.

“I can’t be away from you,” I argued. “I refuse to go on extended missions without you by my side. I think that I could either be the Federation Ambassador assigned to the Cygnarian sector or maintain my command aboard the _Cygnarus_ and we’d be able to explore this region of space, acting as a representative of the Federation. However, I cannot be ‘Captain Cullen’ anymore. I’m your mate and the Emperor of Forx. I need to rule by your side, not split my attentions. It’s not fair to you and not fair to the Federation.”

“I just hate that you have to give up what you love in order to be with me,” she pouted.

“I would hate being away from the one person I love more than anything in this galaxy,” I replied. “Before you? My career – my _life_ – meant nothing. I want to be a good emperor. I want to be a loving, attentive mate. I want to be an adoring father,” I whispered, smiling shyly. I never imagined having children, but with Bella? I couldn’t wait to have children with her.

“You are already an excellent emperor, Edward,” Bella said, sidling back up to me. “As a mate, I know that you are everything I have ever dreamed of. You are kind, loving, devoted and sexy.” She gave me a seductive grin, her spots glowing a deep plum. “You always put my needs before yours. Right now, though, you need to focus on healing. Hopefully, by tomorrow, Kunnan and Rose will have that medication to help with the healing of your bones.”

“Anything to make the pain stop,” I grumbled. _Making love might work._ I waggled my brows, smirking crookedly.

“No, _ti’ane_ ,” Bella deadpanned. “I know we have to reconnect, but not while you are so damaged. I’m afraid that if I squeeze you too tightly, you’d have another broken bone. I can’t bear to see you in pain. When you are healed, we will definitely enjoy time together in our quarters, practicing making babies.” _And I know that you will be an amazing father to our children. I cannot wait until my contraceptive medication wears off and we can experience_ El-lak D’nus _in its fullest form._

Her mind swirled of how we’d be fucking each other like rabid animals, barely stopping to eat before we’d lose ourselves in each other again. “Fuck,” I moaned, shifting on the chaise. “Stop, Nirabelle.”

“Sorry,” she blushed. “My overactive imagination is not helping you. I’m just …”

“Horny,” I snickered.

“Horny?” she asked. “I do not have horns. I don’t understand.”

“It’s something related to aphrodisiacs and using rhinoceros horns …” I trailed off. She continued to look at me like I was crazy. “Never mind. You’re sexually aroused and there’s nothing that can be done about it since I’m out of commission.”

“Once you are better, we can fully reconnect and our souls will heal,” Bella said, getting up from the chaise. “Now, you need to eat. I can hear your stomach growl. I’ll make us some dinner and we’ll eat out here on the veranda. Afterward, we could play a game of _zegge_. You’re very close to beating me.”

“ _Zegge_ or having sex,” I pondered.

“Edward!” Bella chastised.

“What? I’m horny, too,” I snickered. “And unlike you, I do have a growth, a horn, between my legs.” I gestured to my growing bulge in my pants. It was almost painful.

“You are too much, _ti’ane_ ,” Bella chuckled. “Maybe I can offer you some relief.” She arched a brow as she turned to leave, filling my mind with the most enticing blowjob known to man, human or Cygnarian.

 _Yes. Please,_ I mentally whimpered.

 _After dinner,_ ti’ane. _I promise,_ she purred.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The next day, I was quite relaxed, thanks to my mate’s very talented tongue. I did experience pain, but I hid it from her as I exploded in her mouth. That burst of pain was worth it. I wanted to return the favor, but Bella told me that she didn’t want to tax me. Injecting me with my pain medication, I drifted off and woke up a few hours later, still relaxed but stiff.

However, I was sitting in sickbay aboard the _Volvo_. Kunnan and Rose had finished the serum to correct my brittle bone issue caused by the _em’tuuk_ gas. Rose walked out, helping me into a surgical gown. “We’re putting you asleep, Edward. The carbon fibers infusing into your skeletal system will be incredibly painful. Once you wake up, you will not feel any pain. Additionally, your bones will never break again.”

“Can I stay with him?” Bella asked, her fingers threading with mine.

“You can come back once we’re done with the procedure, Empress,” Kunnan said, guiding her out of the surgical bay. “I’ll come get you.”

“But …” she whimpered. Kunnan led her out of sickbay while Rose helped me to lay down.

“Will I feel the pain even though I’m unconscious?” I asked.

“I’m going to inject you with a nerve block. You will be paralyzed from the neck down. I’ll also have to catheterize you,” Rose said, blushing slightly.

I shrugged. “It’s not like you haven’t seen it before,” I quipped.

Rose smacked me. “You’re an idiot,” she growled, arching a brow. “And you’re an even bigger idiot fighting with the injuries you had!”

“It’s not like I could ask the Reman that was attacking me to hold on while I received medical treatment, Rosalie,” I said, knitting my eyebrows together.

“You could have died, Edward Anthony Cullen,” she chided, pulling out the necessary materials for the procedure. “In fact, one millimeter to the left with the injury on your back, you would have been. Be grateful you only had a kidney transplant. Despite our medical advances, we still can’t fix severed spinal cords.”

I gulped, my stomach churning. _Had it been that close? That bad?_

“Edward, stop. I’m sorry. We lost so many people in the battle and the thought of losing you, one of my closest friends, it terrified me,” Rose whispered.

“How many casualties aboard the _Volvo?_ ” I asked.

“Thirty-seven. Our shields failed around deck thirteen. A torpedo pierced through our hull and we had a catastrophic decompression on that deck. Almost everyone, save for Emmett, was lost. He managed to hop into a Jefferies tube, closing the bulkhead. He suffered from prolonged exposure, but he was okay,” Rose whispered, wiping her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Rose,” I whispered.

“He’s okay. I’m fucking overjoyed that he’s okay, but we lost so many, Edward,” she sniffled. “It brought back so many memories of the Dominion War. All of them unpleasant. I wasn’t ready to go back to that. I’m grateful that the situation with Alliance is resolved, but I was terrified of having a repeat of the Dominion conflict.”

“Thankfully, it never came to fruition,” I said, taking Rose’s hands. “And Emmett’s okay.”

“He is. I put him on medical leave. He’s confined to quarters since he tried to sneak out to work on the jump reactor,” Rose snorted. “His quarters are surrounded by shields and I get a warning if he tries to leave.”

“You know he can probably bypass that,” I quipped.

“Probably, but I have to try. He needs to rest,” she growled, looking at me. “Just like you.”

“Okay, okay. Before you paralyze me and knock me out, tell me. How is Charanel?” I asked.

“Every day, he’s getting stronger,” Rose said, her face smoothing out. “He’s almost back to where he was prior to the blow to the head. Elizabeth has worked with him, helping him regain his footing. The love between the two of them is white and blinding.”

“Are they being chaperoned?” I asked.

“Yes, Dad,” she sang, rolling her eyes. “Since Charanel was a bit of a mess, Elizabeth has been policing their interactions. He’s acting like a horny, randy teenager, but Elizabeth manages to get him to calm down. She said that it was important for them to adhere to his cultural beliefs. Now, that he’s closer to his right mind, he agrees and is anxious to move up their mating ceremony.”

“We’ll see. We’ve got a Cygnarian year before they have to mate,” I said. “I don’t know about Bella, but I’d like them to get married at the same spot where we had our mating ceremony. It’s been heavily damaged and it needs to be repaired. The trees need to be replanted. It’s a mess.”

While I was speaking, Kunnan came back and changed into surgical gown. “Okay, Edward,” Rose said, helping me back onto the biobed. “When you wake up, everything will be back to normal.”

“Better than normal,” Kunnan offered. Rose pressed a hypospray to my neck and injected me with a sedative. My eyelids immediately drooped. With a sigh, I fell into a deep slumber.

When I woke up, I was back in my bed on the surface. It was dark in our bedroom. The sheer curtains were drawn, moving slightly in the cool breeze. Blinking my eyes, I shifted and was shocked that I was no longer in agonizing, breathtakingly horrific pain. I was stiff from laying in one spot, but my body was not screaming at me anymore. Bella rushed into our bedroom, her hair in a loose, but messy braid. “Thank the Gods. You’re awake,” she breathed, jogging toward me and sitting down on the bed.

“Did everything go okay?” I asked, sitting up and stretching my stiff muscles.

“Everything went fine. However, you wouldn’t wake up from the sedation. I was panicking that something was wrong. Rose said that you were just exhausted and that your body needed to sleep it all off,” Bella said, snaking her arms around my neck and holding me tightly.

“How long?” I asked, my hands massaging her back, which was riddled with knots.

“Two days,” she murmured, her nose buried in my neck. “After a day, I had them transport you down to our secret hideaway. I figured you’d want to be on a comfortable, huge bed. Not that tiny biobed you were confined to. Rose and Kunnan dressed you, removing your catheter and beamed you down here. I cared for you, with Charanel’s help.”

“He’s back on the surface?” I questioned.

“He is. He’s staying in the other wing of the house,” Bella explained. “He was worried, too.” She ran her fingers down my scruffy cheek. Her mind was reeling, hiding something from me.

“What is it, Nirabelle?” I asked, taking her hand and kissing her palm.

“We’ve found Aro,” she choked out, a few tears falling down her cheeks. “He was discovered in the ruins of the palace when they were going to begin demolition. He was hammered to the floor in the chamber where the Council of Elders usually met.”

“Who did that?”

“We don’t know,” she sighed. “All we do know is that we need to interrogate Liannette and Caius, hoping to find Marcusi before he is met with the same fate. Didyme would not survive his death. She’s almost at death’s door now.”

“First thing tomorrow morning, we will interrogate them,” I said, pulling my distraught mate into my arms. “And we will get the answers we need to completely end this whole thing. We will find Marcusi, reunite him with his mate and then execute Liannette and Caius for their treasonous crimes.”

“Promise?” Bella asked, her voice hardening.

“I promise you and our people, Bella,” I growled, kissing her forehead. “And we will get our happily ever after.” I closed my eyes, pressing my cheek to her head. And despite the fact that I slept for two days, my eyelids drooped again and I fell asleep with my **_Fíorghrá_** **in my arms.**

**A/N: So, we had the battle in the stars last chapter and the hand-to-hand combat in this chapter. Wasn’t it sweet when Bella went all ‘Kill Bill’ on Jakob and Vruk? I was so proud of her.**

**Pictures of their hideaway in _Port’ange’les_ is on my blog along with some pictures depicting the damage done to the Imperial City. You can find the link to that on my profile. I’m also on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and twitter: tufano79. **

**Up next will be the interrogation of Liannette and Caius, separately, their ‘trial’ and news about Marcusi. Will the news be good or bad about Marcusi? And who killed Aro? Leave me some loving!**


	22. Chapter 22

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be the interrogation of Liannette and Caius, separately, their ‘trial’ and news about Marcusi. Will the news be good or bad about Marcusi? And who killed Aro?**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**BPOV**

When I woke up, I was covered by my mate. He was curled around me with his head pressed between my breasts. The pain that had riddled him for the past week was gone from his visage. He looked so much younger. His mind was calm and his body was relaxed against me. I ran my fingers through his soft, coppery hair. He sighed, tightening his arms around my body. However, his stomach was grumbling. With my enhanced hearing, I could hear the angry snarls of his belly.

Ti’ane, _you keep sleeping and I’ll make you some breakfast,_ I thought to him and kissed his forehead, wriggling out of his hold. He grumbled, curling around the pillow. I put on a pair of loose-fitting pants and one of Edward’s shirts, walking to the kitchen in the house.

“You’re up early,” Charanel said from his perch next to the breakfast bar. I jumped, my hand flying to my chest. “Sorry, Sissy. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, it’s okay,” I chuckled. “You’re up early, too.”

“Headache,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “I’m drinking some tea that Rose suggested. I didn’t want to keep taking the medications for the headaches. This tea is homeopathic and seems to do the trick.” He sipped his tea, making a face. “It does the trick, but it tastes like _snir._ ”

“It smells interesting,” I replied, wrinkling my nose.

“Interesting as in disgusting,” Charanel snorted.  I nodded in agreement. “How’s Edward?”

“Edward’s sleeping, but his stomach sounds like it’s about to eat itself,” I said, searching through the refrigeration unit for something to make for him. “We had this meal on the holodeck of the _Volvo_ and I wonder if I can recreate it.”

“What meal?” Charanel asked.

“French toast with strawberries and whipped cream,” I replied. Charanel pulled up the recipe on his tablet. We worked together to make the meal. “How is Elizabeth?”

“She’s amazing. I can’t imagine my life without her,” Charanel said as he whipped the eggs we’d replicated, using the specifications from the Federation database. “I want to mate with her. These feelings I have, they are overwhelming. I need to protect her, hug her, kiss her … I’ve been good, but the urges are becoming too much at times.”

“Have you been chaperoned?” I questioned.

“When aboard the _Volvo_ , yes. However, since we beamed to the surface, our chaperones have dwindled. Elizabeth is staying with her parents aboard the _Enterprise_ to avoid the temptation,” Charanel frowned. “I’m nearly healed. The headaches have gone away, for the most part. I struggle with finding some words, but each day is definitely getting better.”

“Are you still considering in joining Galaxy Fleet?” I pressed.

“I am. I spoke with Captain Whitlock and Admiral Cullen. Once I was able to, I took the entrance exam. I scored off the charts. I’ll be leaving with the _Enterprise_ or _Volvo_ when they depart for Earth. Unfortunately, the ships have at least a couple of weeks before they can leave. The damages are quite extensive,” Charanel explained. “Captain Whitlock invited me to work on their jump reactor and sensor array aboard the _Volvo._ ”

“Are you going aboard today?”

“I’m being transported in about an hour,” Charanel nodded. “What else do you need for breakfast?”

“Can you cut these?” I requested, handing Charanel a bowl of _kin’wah_ fruit, which were similar to strawberries. “I’m going to make the bacon.” Charanel smiled, grabbing a knife and slicing the fruit as I cooked the bacon. We finished in companionable silence, placing the meal onto a tray. With Charanel’s help, we carried up the tray to our bedroom. Charanel kissed my cheek and he jogged to his bedroom to change to work on the _Volvo_. I slid into our bedroom, placing the tray on dresser.

Edward was still asleep, snoring quietly. His body had been through so much in the past month and a half. First, we were mated. Our mating wasn’t a bad thing, but the psychological and emotional connection was tiresome for the body, especially for Edward, a human. Secondly, he suffered from _em’tuuk_ gas exposure. While he was trying to heal from that, he lost his security officer, Commander Victoria Braxas. His heart shattered. On top of the physical pain, he was emotionally drained and frustrated, hating the Alphans for what they did. Due to that, our connection frayed, causing more physical and mental anguish. Then, there was the constant threat of war weighing on all of us. When it finally came to fruition, it was taxing and exhausting. Edward fought valiantly, leading our people to a victory. Unfortunately, it caused him a great deal of physical pain again. The _em’tuuk_ gas had an unexpected side effect in causing significant damage to his bones. While he was fighting for his life and for our people, every bone in his body was fracturing with each blow.

My mate was _exhausted_. Nearly six weeks of this chaos and he was just done. With the sedative that Rosalie had given him, along with the carbon fiber treatment for his bones, he slept for nearly two days. Even now, his sleep was deep. I hated to wake him up. However, we needed to interrogate Caius and Liannette. It was one of the last things we needed to do before we could _finally_ move on from this hellish _beranne._ We needed to find Marcusi. We needed to try Caius and Liannette for their crimes. We needed to execute them.

The final two casualties of war.

_Are they really going to casualties? They deserved to die. Treasonous monsters!_

Shaking my head, I crawled into the bed and brushed Edward’s too-long hair from his forehead. _“Ti’ane_ ,” I cooed, pressing my lips to his warm skin. “Wake up, my beloved.”

“Mrrrmph,” he grumbled, his arms snaking around my middle and he buried his nose at the juncture where my neck met my shoulder. His leg slid between mine and he pulled me closer to his very warm body. I eagerly accepted his snuggles, loving the feeling of his strong body around me. And I honestly missed them. Sleeping so far from my mate was hell. I wanted nothing more than to curl up next to him, but he was in so much pain that I would have added to it.

When I heard him snoring against my neck, I giggled. “Edward, we have to get up,” I purred, my hands running along the smooth skin of his muscular back. “I made you breakfast.”

“You can cook?” he asked. His voice was very, very deep from disuse. I bit back a groan since his voice made my body tingle with want, his question notwithstanding.

“Yes, I can cook,” I snorted, pressing my lips to his jaw and gliding them up to his ear. I flicked his earlobe with tongue. Edward moaned, his arms tightening as they traveled down my body and settled on my behind. “And the meal I cooked is getting cold on the dresser.”

“I’d rather eat you,” he laughed, his hands kneading my behind. I could feel my body become aroused, but he was still healing and his stomach was practically snarling, begging for food.

“Edward, _ti’ane_ ,” I whimpered, rolling us so I was perched on Edward’s lap. Using my strength, I pressed his hands above his head and arched a brow. “I want to get lost in you, Edward. But, you haven’t eaten in almost three days. I need you to be at your strongest since I want you to fuck me.”

“Holy shit,” he whimpered, his hardness poking my thigh. He really loved when I used his curse words.

“Do you want to fuck me?” I asked, rolling my hips over his length. He nodded. He was so deliciously rumpled. His eyes were so very green and his hair was sticking up every which way. His bare torso was stretched out from my hold on his hands and the lines from the sheets marred his pale flesh. I leaned down, my lips barely touching his. “Then, we will. After you’ve eaten.”

“Yes ma’am,” he smiled. I returned his sexy grin, pressing my mouth to his before I jumped off his lap, walking to the dresser to pick up the tray that held his breakfast. He moved so he was sitting up and ran his fingers through his hair. He wrinkled his nose. _I feel so gross. How can you handle being next to my smelly ass?_

“You had surgery and it’s not that bad,” I replied, placing the tray over his lap. His eyes widened when he saw the breakfast on the tray. The snarling in his stomach grew louder and he clapped his hands over his abdomen. “See? You are starving!”

“This all smells so good,” he moaned, cutting into some of the French toast, dipping it into the warmed syrup. He wrapped his lips around the fork and he moaned again, his eyes fluttering shut. “And delicious. So much better than what the replicator can create.”

“I had replicate the eggs, but everything was made by me and Charanel,” I smirked, swiping a piece of fruit and popping it into my mouth.

“How is Charanel?” Edward asked, nibbling on a piece of bacon.

“Only suffering from a few headaches, but getting better every day. In fact, he’s being transported aboard the _Volvo_ to help with the repairs. He’s taken the Galaxy Fleet Academy entrance exam and passed with flying colors. Once the _Volvo_ is space worthy, he’ll be departing for Earth to take classes,” I explained. I plastered on a fake smile, trying to be happy for my brother, but in my heart, I was anxious and sad that he was leaving me.

 _Nirabelle, I can feel your sadness. It’s okay to be upset that Charanel’s leaving, but he’ll get an amazing education. He’s destined for the life a Galaxy Fleet officer. He’s cool-headed and smart. If it weren’t for him, we would have_ lost _this battle,_ Edward murmured mentally, his fingers toying with the end of my braid.

 _I know,_ I thought. “I just hate the idea that he’s going so far away for school. I’m proud of him, but I don’t want to lose my brother.”

“You’re not going to lose him, Nirabelle,” Edward soothed, his hand cupping my cheek. I sighed, nodding and leaning into his touch. _What happened in the Imperial City and with the Alphans and Remans was honestly a fluke. Galaxy Fleet is all about exploring, not fighting._

“How many battles has the _Volvo_ been in while you were the captain?” I asked.

“I can count them on one hand. We strive to have more diplomatic solutions than resorting to a firefight,” Edward explained. “I’ve had so many arguments with Jasper about firing first and asking questions later, but he was in the War Fleet before he transferred to Galaxy Fleet. In the War Fleet, it was all about firing and destroying. In fact, it was the mission I handled previously that had me assigned to come here to help you reach a diplomatic solution with Crown Prince Jakob and the Alphans.”

“What was that?” I asked.

Edward, while he ate, told me about his mission with the Mesans and Phoenicians. I could tell that Edward was proud of his work and what the Federation had been able to do for both species. He showed me pictures on the tablet next to our bed of the smiling refugees, feeling freedom for the first time in their lives. He also told me about how the Federation was going to help both of them rebuild their worlds, moving past their differences. When he was done with that, he gave me a manifest of all of the missions that the _Volvo_ had completed while he was the commanding officer. Nearly all of them were ones of exploration - scanning star clusters, mapping remote areas of space, observing nebulae, making contact with new species and building relationships with them.

He finished his meal, nearly licking the plate. “Do you feel a little better about Charanel joining Galaxy Fleet?” Edward asked, placing the tray next to his legs. “Knowing that we don’t fight with every hostile alien we come across?”

“I do,” I whispered, handing him back his tablet. “I still don’t like that he’ll be so far away.”

“My mom didn’t like it either, but sometimes you have to let the birds out of the nest,” Edward said, threading our fingers together.

“Your mother worked for Galaxy Fleet,” I snorted.

“She did, but I was back on earth while she was commanding her own vessel eighty light years away, near the Turulian system,” Edward chuckled. “My dad was on his own ship near the Bajoran sector, patrolling the wormhole by Deep Space Nine. Elizabeth was aboard my mom’s ship, but she was preparing to go to university.”

“I’m being too much of a mother hen,” I sighed, wrinkling my nose. “It’s just that I never expected Charanel to be able to live his own life. With his delay, I expected him to be living with me forever.” I gave Edward a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I understand,” he smiled, getting up from the bed and stretching his body. I heard the bones crack in his back and I gasped, afraid that he’d done damage to his bones. He sighed, a crooked grin spreading over his handsome face. “Much better.”

“That didn’t hurt?” I asked.

“Nope. I was stiff from laying in one spot and being able to stretch out felt really, _really_ good,” he smirked. “But, I have to get cleaned up. I’m about to lose my breakfast because of my stench.”

“Stop it,” I giggled.

He plucked at his shirt, making a distasteful face. “I feel disgusting. Join me, _Fíorghrá?_ ” I blushed, getting up and taking his outstretched hand. We walked to the bathroom and took a shared shower. The house we were staying in was luxurious, but I missed my huge bathtub. A shower was much better than a sonic shower, but being able to immerse myself in the water was nothing short of heavenly.

Our touches were soft and teasing. The need to reconnect was quite apparent, but not until after we’d questioned Caius and Liannette. I didn’t want that hanging over my head any longer. I wanted to lose myself into the pleasures of my mate, making love until the sun rose.

 _Bella, you are not helping,_ Edward snickered mentally as he glanced down to his arousal that had sprung to life from my musings.

“Sorry,” I chirped, not really feeling any remorse. “Think of it as a promise for later?”

“A promise I fully intend to cash in,” Edward growled, his lips tracing my spots and his hands gently cupping my breasts. I whimpered, almost collapsing in his arms before spinning out and giving him a stern look. “You started it with your seductive thoughts, Nirabelle.”

“For that, I’m going to sneak away,” I said, kissing his soft lips and letting him finish his shower by himself. If I had stayed in the shower with him, I would have crawled up his body and impaled myself on his erection.

“I saw that,” Edward laughed. I giggled, walking to the bedroom and making quick work of my hair and applying my makeup. Tossing my mourning circlet upon my head, I dressed in a slate blue dress with a sheer white overcoat. It felt nice to wear the loose, flowy dresses I’d despised. Now, I reveled in them, happy to look so feminine. Edward walked out, wearing a pair of dove grey pants and holding a white shirt and a royal blue jacket. His muscular torso was deliciously bare and glistening with some residual water from his shower. “Do you know if we can get someone to cut this mop? My hair is too long and it’s driving me nuts.”

“I can do it,” I said, guiding him outside. I sat him on a bench and grabbed a spare towel and some sharp scissors. Working quickly, I cleaned up his hair and brushed the trimmings off his pale skin. Dancing inside, I grabbed some pomade that was left in the linen closet. Piecing it through his coppery locks, Edward looked much more distinguished. “All done.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, pulling me onto his lap and kissing me silly. I easily began to lose myself to his teasing kisses and roaming hands.

 _Edward,_ I chided, pulling back and cupping his cheek. “Soon. I promise.”

“I know,” he said, leaning his forehead against mine. He nipped at my lips before he got up to finish getting dressed. Stopping in front of the mirror, he smiled crookedly. “It’s official. You’re cutting my hair all of the time. This is so amazing, Nirabelle. How did you learn how to do this?”

“Charanel hated to get his hair cut and he only allowed either me or Maralice to do it. Mostly me. It was either sheering him bald or learning how to cut hair,” I giggled.

“Well, I’m glad you did,” he laughed, pulling on his white shirt. He finished getting dressed and put on his communicator he designed for the crew of the _Cygnarus_. The final step was sliding on his mourning circlet. He stood up tall and offered me his arm. His mind was silent to me and his face was impassive. “Shall we?”

“The sooner we get these answers, the better,” I muttered, threading my fingers with my mate. Waiting outside of our hideaway was a hover car. Edward helped me inside and I smiled when I saw Senator J’ran. He was thinner, but mending. “Senator, it’s so wonderful to see you.”

“Thank you, Empress,” he said, nodding his head reverently. “I was glad that Kunnan gave me permission to attend these interrogations.” J’ran gave Edward a smile. “I’m glad to see you up and about. How are you feeling, Emperor?”

“A million times better,” he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Kunnan and Rose should get some sort of medal for the procedure they did on me. No more pain and I’ll never break another bone in my body!”

“You did give them quite a scare with all of the sleeping you did,” J’ran retorted. “However, your body was exhausted. You needed it.” He pulled out a tablet. “Now, while we drive to De’naalie, we need to discuss the procedure for Liannette and Caius’s trial. Before, we’d turn over the trials for treason to the Council of Elders. We can’t do that since we’ve decided to disband the council. How should we proceed?”

“I don’t know,” I frowned.

“Why don’t we use the Assembly of Nobles?” Edward suggested. “There are over a hundred nobles that can cast a vote. We’ll have their trials and leave it to the nobles to vote to find them guilty or innocent.”

“Their innocence is moot. They are already guilty,” J’ran snarled.

“In our world, you are innocent until proven guilty. Now, I don’t contest that they are guilty, but they should have a fair trial,” Edward said. “If found guilty, then we determine if they should be incarcerated or executed for their crimes.”

“I think that’s fair,” I nodded. “We need to move away from making unilateral decisions. While we have an emperor and empress, we need to utilize the Assembly of Nobles more. A checks and balances system.”

“On my world, there used to be three branches of the government. The Executive branch, which would be akin to our positions, Nirabelle. The Legislative branch, which would be the Assembly of Nobles. And finally, the Judicial branch. We don’t really have a judicial branch, at least not at the executive level,” Edward explained. “For now, I think it would be an appropriate compromise if we use the Assembly of Nobles to try Liannette and Caius.”

“I agree,” J’ran sighed. “I’ll make the arrangements. The trials will have to take place here since the Imperial City is a mess. We can use the governor’s palace for the trials and deliberations. If found guilty, we can use the _gij’uri_ fields just outside of De’naalie for their executions.”

“Make whatever arrangements you need, Senator,” Edward nodded.

“Additionally, the _H’aaruune_ services for all who were lost. When will those begin?” J’ran asked.

“I would like to honor D’Metri in a full _H’aaruune_ service. He was a treasured member of the Imperial staff, working for my father and for Edward, sacrificing his life for his people. I also don’t want to belittle the deaths of the people in the city, too. Perhaps, we can do a memorial service, similar to what we did for the colonists on _H’Nan,_ giving D’Metri a private service,” I suggested. Edward nodded in agreement, kissing my temple.

“I think that we need to honor all who died with some sort of memorial in the Imperial City,” Edward said. “We lost so many to this battle, both in the skies and on the ground. Someplace for people to come and visit their loved ones, especially since so many were burnt beyond all recognition.”

“Senator, why don’t you work on creating the memorial?” I said. J’ran nodded. “Anything else?”

“No, Empress,” J’ran replied, saving his work on the tablet he carried.

A few moments later, the hover car landed outside of the De’naalie Prison. Jasper was waiting outside of the prison along with Carlisle. Maralice was off to the side, tapping on her tablet and looking very agitated. _What’s wrong with her?_ Edward asked.

I shrugged, confused as to why she was so upset. The door opened and we all clambered out of the hover car, greeting Jasper and Carlisle. Maralice walked over to us and slid her tablet into her satchel. “Is everything okay, Maralice?” I asked.

“Not really,” she sighed. “Rose contacted me and said that Liannette tried to cut her wrist this morning. It wasn’t successful since she used a very dull blade. However, she has been sedated and will stay that way until you interrogate her.”

“Why does it matter?” Jasper asked. “She’s to be executed for her crimes.”

“We need to know about Marcusi. We need to know who killed Aro,” Edward replied. “Caius and Liannette are seemingly the only people who can answer those questions.”

“Well, Caius is being held in a cell and is waiting for us,” Carlisle said. “Shall we go inside?”

Edward nodded, taking my hand and guiding me into the massive prison. It was circular, made out of massive stones. Surrounding the prison were huge fences that were electrified, causing significant damage to any prisoner who would possibly escape. Inside of the prison, we were all scanned and escorted into small circular room. It was dark and dank, giving me horrific reminders of my stay aboard the Reman vessel in Jakob’s quarters.

 _Are you okay?_ Edward asked, his arm snaking around my waist. _You’re trembling._

 _Memories. Bad memories,_ I answered, moving closer to my mate. I needed his warmth.

 _Show me,_ he breathed. I opened my mind, showing him my memories of being aboard the Reman ship and how this reminded me of those horrific memories. Edward enfolded me in his embrace, his hand massaging my neck. “You’re safe, my _Fíorghrá,_ ” he soothed. “You’ll never see them again.”

“I know,” I whispered, snuggling deeper into his arms.

The door on the far side of the room hissed open and a bedraggled Caius was led into the room by four very large armed guards. He wore a gray jumpsuit and his hair was filthy. The stench coming from him was nauseating, causing my stomach to roll. Caius was pushed onto a bench and locked into place by the largest of the guards. “Empress Nirabelle and Emperor Edward, the prisoner is at your disposal to answer any and all questions. If he does not reply, use this and he will change his tune.” He handed a long, thin rod.

“Will it cause permanent damage?” Edward asked, pressing the button. The end glowed a deep blue and the sizzle of electricity filled the air. Caius whimpered from his spot, trying to get away from the rod in my mate’s hand.

“Not really. He may lose the ability to control the muscles to prevent him from urinating himself,” the guard quipped, shooting an angry glare at Caius.

“You keep this,” Edward said, handing the rod back to the guard. “I will question the prisoner in my own fashion. I do not need to torture him.” The guard shrugged, leaving the room.

“Thank you, Emperor,” Caius simpered.

“Shut up, you sniveling little weasel,” Edward snapped. “I asked them to take that away since I may have too much fun with it. Besides, I’m curious if my carbon-infused bones would mean that I have become stronger. Can I break every bone in your face with one punch to your ugly nose?”

“From what Rose told me, that’s affirmative,” Jasper snickered. Edward looked at Caius, clenching his hand into a fist. Caius shrieked, curling into a tiny ball and begging for mercy in Cygnarian. I bit back laughter as I watched him cower in terror. “Not so tough without your Alphan and Reman guard dogs, huh?”

“This is pure torment,” he sobbed. “Please, I beg for mercy.”

“Just like Norelle begged. And N’essie. And Lianel,” I growled, slamming my hand down onto the table. “You will not get any mercy from us, you treasonous _gare’sht_. Answer our questions.”

“Where’s Marcusi?” Edward asked, his voice hard.

“Aboard the Reman ship,” Caius answered, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

“Try again, asshole,” Jasper hissed. “There is no one on the Reman vessel. Shortly after you and your cronies beamed down to the surface, the ship experienced a catastrophic decompression.”

“What?” Caius whimpered.

“It went boom,” Edward said, glowering at Caius. “No one would have survived it. Where was Marcusi being held aboard the ship? Could he have had access to an escape pod?”

“He was being held in the quarters next to Jakob’s,” Caius said. “Each set of quarters had an escape pod. Have you scanned the wreckage for life signs?”

“Jasper?” Edward asked.

“On it. Our sensor array is a bit on the fritz, but if we move the ship closer to the debris field, we may be able to identify any errant life signs,” Jasper nodded, tapping his communicator. “Whitlock to Anderson.”

“Anderson here.”

“Please scan the Reman wreckage for any escape pods, life signs. Inform me if you find anything,” Jasper said curtly. “You’ll have to move the ship closer to the debris with the sensors not functioning properly.”

“Understood, sir. Anderson out.”

Jasper nodded and looked back to Caius, glowering at him. Edward crossed his arms over his chest, looking very domineering as he continued his interrogation. “Next question, while we wait for Anderson to complete his scans,” Edward said, walking the length of the room. “Who killed Aro?”

“Aro is dead?” Caius asked, his face falling and his posturing deflating. “Who would kill my brother?”

“Don’t pull that bullshit with me,” Edward said, narrowing his eyes at Caius and bolting to his spot in the room. Caius whimpered, burying his head in his hands. Edward growled, stomping away and looking out into the empty cafeteria of the prison that was attached to the interrogation room.

“Okay, okay,” Caius grumbled, his hands shakily running through his dirty hair. “Aro was already dead when we beamed him down to the surface. Liannette killed him. She was exhausted over hearing his moaning and groaning. She poisoned him and beamed him to the surface, using the transporter to manipulate his corpse into the throne room. I felt badly for my brother, but I couldn’t really care. He was _yanhesh_. The infection in his mouth spread to his brain, which wasn’t all there to begin with. I didn’t want to deal with him.”

“We will need to verify this with Liannette,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Caius waved his hand dismissively, obviously not caring about his deceased brother. I scowled deeply at him, infuriated by his callousness.

Jasper’s communicator chirped from his chest. He tapped the insignia. “Whitlock here.”

“Sir, we found one escape pod in the debris of the Reman ship when we moved closer. We’ve transported the occupant to sickbay,” Anderson explained.

“Is the occupant alive?” Edward asked.

“Barely,” Anderson answered grimly. “Life support was on the verge of failing when we transported the escape pod into our cargo bay. Plus, the occupant was gravely injured.”

“Who was in the escape pod?” I questioned, praying that it was Marcusi.

“The person inside was unconscious and beaten to within an inch of their life,” Anderson muttered. “We ran a DNA scan and are trying to determine the identity of the person aboard the escape pod. The only thing we could discern with absolute certainty was that the person was an adult Cygnarian male. Despite the bruising, we could see the spotting along the ridge of his neck and the subtly pointed ears. Dr. Halé is running further tests along with Kunnan and Dr. Bashir. We should have more information within the hour.”

“Anderson, contact Didyme, Marcusi’s mate. If the man you found is Marcusi, her soul will recognize his. She will start to feel better,” I said, gripping Edward’s hand.

“I will do that, Empress,” Anderson replied. “We’ll contact you if the status of the patient changes. _Volvo_ out.”

Edward turned to Caius, his eyes narrowed. “Your answers today have done nothing in regards to your fate. Your life and your fate rests with the Assembly of Nobles. Your trial will occur in a week’s time. If found guilty, you will either spend the rest of your natural life in the prison on Cygnaria Prime or enjoy the afterlife with Norex, not receiving _H’aaruune.”_ Caius gulped, his eyes wide with fear. Edward continued, his hands clenched in rigid claws at his side. “I will pray for you, Caius. I know your time in this prison has not been pleasant. I also know that if you are found guilty, it will be even more unpleasant.”

“We don’t take kindly to treasonous _snirapi_ ,” one of the guards growled. “His actions nearly destroyed our world. He gets what he deserves.”

“Well, we’ve gotten all we could from him” Edward snapped. “Take him back to his cell. We will be in touch regarding his trial.”

“Understood, Emperor,” the guard answered, nodding before unlocking Caius from his chains. With a harsh tug, Caius fell to his knees and was dragged from the interrogation room, his wails and cries reverberating through the hallways of the prison. I almost felt badly for Caius. I wanted to call to the guards to not be as rough with him, but this was the treasonous monster who watched as Norelle was taken and beamed into open space. This was the horrific man who murdered N’essie. He did not deserve my pity, nor my compassion.

“Who’s hungry?” asked Jasper, rubbing his hands together and breaking my intense gaze at the retreating forms of Caius and the guards. “Interrogating a prisoner always makes my stomach growl!”

Edward snorted out a laugh, rolling his eyes. Maralice tittered and looked adoringly up at Jasper, obviously smitten with her new mate. I just gaped at Jasper, shocked at his brazen comment. He gave me a slow grin. “You look surprised, Empress.”

“It’s just that …” I trailed off, twisting my ring. I shook my head, chuckling quietly. “Never mind. I _am_ hungry.”

“Excellent,” Jasper hissed, his smile widening. “What’s good?” He turned on his heel and walked out of the interrogation chamber with Maralice on his arm and Carlisle following close behind.

 _Is that normal?_ I asked. _Jasper’s reaction to the interrogation?_

“When has Jasper ever been normal?” Edward countered, giving me a wry little grin as we walked outside. “But, he’s right. Interrogating a prisoner does work an appetite.” _And I want the main course to be you, Bella_. He kissed my neck, earning a squeal from me.

 _Only if you’re dessert,_ ti’ane,I countered, pulling him out into the sunlight and into the waiting hover car. We both knew that food was the last thing on our minds.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

After our lunch, we transported up to the _Volvo_. Edward and I didn’t eat much, but we were sexually sated for the time being. It was just a temporary fix. We would need to lose ourselves fully before our bond would heal. It was frayed from Edward’s injuries, my emotional well-being and the exhaustion from the previous battle, but we were functional.

We had to question Liannette before she succeeded in killing herself. She was sedated and detained in the _Volvo_ sickbay. We were meeting with Rose in the observation lounge before meeting with Liannette to finally question her.

“I wanted to discuss Liannette’s condition before we send you inside to talk to her,” Rose said, her face grim.

“What is it, Rose?” Edward asked, his hand resting over mine.

“Liannette is very fragile, which is quite obvious with her attempted suicide,” Rose said. “The emotions I feel from her are ones of helplessness, worthlessness and sadness. From what I can gather from her ramblings, her relationship with Norex was quite abusive. Her time aboard the Reman vessel was also unpleasant. Knowing that she was in a losing situation, she became depressed and obviously suicidal. My guess was that it started when Norex was executed and snowballed from there. Despite his abuse, she loved him.”

“It’s their connection. They imprinted on each other,” I said, frowning slightly. “By our nature, it causes us great discomfort to hurt or harm our mates. We get physically ill, supposedly. Norex, it seemed, was an abhorrent monster in more ways than one. Or, he enjoyed the feelings he got while he abused her. He would feel her pain.”

“Regardless of her fragility, can we question her?” Edward asked, arching a brow. “We need to verify what Caius said.”

“You can question her, but if she becomes hysterical and emotional unstable, I will put a stop to it. She may be a criminal, but she’s also my patient,” Rose replied, her eyes flashing and her golden skin deepening in anger. “She committed horrific crimes to her people, but she is under my care. I will not have her die at her own hand because you’ve upset her.”

“We understand,” I said, pursing my lips.

“I know what you’re thinking, Empress,” Rose chided. “Why should we take such care for Liannette when she is to be executed for her crimes?”

“You’re right. She cared so little for her children or for her people,” I snapped, my spots sizzling in anger.

“Be that is it may, but she is entitled to some dignities aboard a Federation vessel since she is being held aboard our ship. Once she’s released from our care, she’ll go to trial and her fate will be sealed. Until then, she is under my protection and care,” Rose answered. “Though, I won’t miss her or her cancerous thoughts. She’s rubbing off on me. That and I’m still processing my own feelings about Emmett.” She rubbed her temples, grumbling lowly.

“How’s he doing?” Edward asked.

“Almost ready to return to duty,” Rose answered. “Anxious to get his engine room back into shape. Charanel’s help has been invaluable, but I know that Emmett is ready to get back to work and he’s quite particular about how the jump reactor is handled. He’s getting antsy.”

“Dr. Halé, the patient is starting to wake up,” said one of Rose’s assistants over the comm panel. “Should I sedate her again?”

“No, Emperor Cullen and Empress Nirabelle are coming to sick bay to question the patient,” Rose explained. “Please prep the surgical bay for our procedures on the other patient.”

“Understood, ma’am.” The communicator clicked off and Rose stood up, wiping her hands on uniform.

“Have you identified who he is?” Edward asked.

“We did what you suggested by transporting Didyme up here, and she immediately recognized him. It is Counselor Marcusi. However, his body is horrifically battered and he’s got numerous internal injuries. Kunnan and I are going to perform exploratory surgery to repair the damage to his body,” Rose explained. “Though, his condition improved once Didyme touched him. Hers, too. If they had been separated for much longer, both of them would have died.”

“I’m thankful that they are reunited,” I breathed, smiling widely.

“Me, too,” Rose nodded. “Now, you need to question Liannette and I’ve got a Marcusi to fix.” She turned on her heel and left the observation lounge.

“I think, for sake of Liannette’s mental well-being, we keep her questioning short and sweet,” Jasper said, his face grim. “We just need verification of what Caius said and then we can put their lives into the capable hands of the Assembly of Nobles.”

“Just question about Aro’s death and her dealings with her position in the Alliance,” Edward muttered.

“And if it was her decision to kill N’essie and kidnap Marcusi,” I added. Edward and Jasper nodded while Maralice handed me a tablet. “You also want me to question her about the whereabouts of my father’s scout ship?”

“Only the Cygnarian Fleet and the Imperial family knew that Charel was going to the border of Alphan and Cygnari space,” Maralice argued. “Someone had to have leaked that information when your father was killed. Norex obviously wasn’t it. The Council of Elders didn’t have the exact coordinates. It only left Liannette.”

“I will ask her,” I practically snarled. “If she is responsible for the death of my father, the previous emperor, she will definitely die for her crimes. She is far more loathsome than Caius if she did inform the Alliance of my father’s whereabouts.”

“And what about the other nobles?” Jasper asked. “They all left the planet when Liannette and her brood departed.”

“I can answer that,” Carlisle replied. “The leaders of the Alliance, upon their return to their respective home worlds, banned the remaining Cygnarian nobles from their planets. Once the nobles heard that, many booked passage back to Forx, but were turned away at the border of Cygnari space by the remaining Cygnarian fleet.”

“Where are they going?” Edward questioned.

“From what the Cygnari fleet and remaining Federation vessels have reported, they were unceremoniously dumped on a nearby habitable planet just outside Alphan and Cygnari space,” Carlisle snickered. “No creature comforts from what we’ve been told, either.”

“Abandoned by the Alliance and shunned from their home world,” Edward snorted derisively. “Serves them right.”

“Come on. Let’s not torture Liannette any longer,” Jasper said, getting up from his seat. We followed him to sick bay. In the surgical bay in the next room, we could hear the surgery being performed on Marcusi. Jasper led us to the somewhat secluded corner of sick bay where Liannette was being restrained on a bio-bed. She was sleeping, but her rest was fitful. Edward gestured to a nearby medical technician. The technician pressed a hypospray to Liannette’s neck. Liannette woke up, her eyes blinking rapidly. She moved her arms and grunted when they were caught with the restraining field. As she struggled with the field, I saw her stump from when Edward shot the disruptor out of her hand. Above her stump was a thick bandage that was soaked with blood from her suicide attempt.

“Why haven’t they sutured the wound?” Edward asked.

“She refused any sort of treatment for her wound,” the technician explained. “Dr. Halé just bandaged it, but her body is weak from the damage from the phaser blast that removed her hand. Liannette was just sedated after she attempted to hurt herself since she was hysterical, but we did not treat her wound.”

“You should have let me die,” she spat, glaring directly at me. “I do not want this _xytiria_ to have smug satisfaction that she ended my life!”

“Well, regardless, I will,” I smirked. “Now, we have some questions for you, Liannette.”

“I’m not talking to you,” she growled, shifting and turning away.

“Stop with the fucking bravado, Liannette,” Edward snapped. “You are going to answer our questions. There aren’t many.” Liannette scoffed. “We know you are grieving and in pain. That doesn’t negate what you have done to your people, your children!”

A flash of pain crossed Liannette’s face.

“Do you want to experience how Norelle died?” I asked. “Beamed out into space?”

“Enough!” Liannette yelled. “I’ll answer your questions.”

“Did you kill Aro?” Edward asked, point-blank.

“I did. He moaned all of the time once his tongue was cut out. The knife the Vruk used to slice out his tongue was obviously riddled with bacteria and it infected Aro’s mind. I put him out of his misery,” Liannette answered, shrugging her shoulders. “Then, using the transporter, we beamed him down into the Imperial Palace. We wanted to scare you.”

“You did not scare us. You only rallied us to work harder,” I hissed. “And what about N’essie? Why did you kill her?”

“She betrayed her people. She betrayed the Alliance,” Liannette answered. “She needed to pay for her betrayal.”

“And what of my father?” I muttered, narrowing my eyes at the prone woman on the bio-bed. “Besides me and the Cygnarian fleet, Norex and you knew where my father was going during that battle. Norex told me that he didn’t let the Alliance know, so that just leaves you.”

“Your father was a simpering idiot,” Liannette huffed. “With his death, Norex could have assumed the throne and our admittance into the Alliance would have been assured. But, you had to assert your right to the Imperial Throne.”

“So, you informed the Alliance of my father’s whereabouts?” I asked, barely containing my anger. Liannette shrugged again. I screamed, rushing toward the bed but was stopped by my mate. Her uncaring, callous choice caused my father to be killed needlessly. I bellowed in Cygnarian, calling her every hateful word I could think of. I scratched at Edward’s arms, trying to get to Liannette’s bio-bed so I could wrap my arms around her neck and kill her myself. The executioner’s axe was too humane a death for all of the pain she caused.

Rose ran into sickbay, her eyes wide. “What’s going on in here?”

I was still writhing in Edward’s grasp. “This …” I trailed off, my spots almost burning my skin with anger, grief and rage.

“Liannette just admitted that she contacted the Alliance with Emperor Charel’s location the day that he was killed,” Jasper explained, moving me away from Liannette.

“You will die for this, Liannette,” I screamed, tears coming down my cheeks. “You killed my father!” I repeated that phrase over and over. My heart was shattering with the memory of his death, how alone I felt and how much I missed him. On my neck, I felt a surge of warmth move through my body. My eyes rolled back in my head as I collapsed in the arms of my mate. The last thought I had before I slipped into unconsciousness was a blinding hatred for the woman that caused the death of my father.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

When I came to, I was back on Forx, sleeping in my bed with Edward curled around me. My head was throbbing and my chest was empty. “Father,” I sniffled, remembering what the conversation I’d had with Liannette aboard the _Volvo_. Edward stirred and his hand cupped my cheek. “She killed him, Edward.”

“She did and what’s worse is that she’s proud of it,” Edward said, holding me close to his chest. “She’s delusional, Nirabelle.”

“What happened?” I asked, my brain sleepy and unfocused, but I had to know. I had been sedated and I didn’t know what happened after I collapsed in the arms of my mate.

“She just laughed maniacally and said that she was glad your father was dead and that she was the cause of his demise,” Edward muttered. “Then, Rose felt her pride and delusions of grandeur. Her ‘fragile’ state was a farce, really. She was trying to gain sympathy and she did, until her true colors showed. She’s still on suicide watch, but the trial for both Liannette and Caius will be happening the day after tomorrow. However, from what I’ve heard from Senator J’ran, was that it will most likely unanimous that they will be found guilty for their crimes.”

“And their executions?” I asked.

“Will happen in the _giju’ri_ fields of D’enaalie,” Edward explained. “It’s already been arranged.”

“I hate them, Edward,” I snarled angrily. “I hate her.”

“And you have every right to hate her,” Edward said, his eyes darkening. “She took your father and murdered him in cold blood, just because she was unhappy with the way he ruled. It’s like me killing my dad for grounding me because I took a shuttle pod out when I was thirteen years old.”

I snorted, pressing my ear on his chest. I listened to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. I allowed it to calm me, but it was for naught. “I want her to suffer,” I said, my anger bubbling in me, followed by an aching sadness. “I want her to feel what she did to him. What she did to her daughter … Why? Why is she …?”

“Shhhh, Bella,” Edward soothed, his arms banding around me. “I don’t know why she is the way she is, but know that she will never, _ever_ be able to cause our family, _our people_ harm again.”

“Make me forget all that happened, Edward,” I whispered, keeping my emotions in check.

 _Is that what you want?_ Edward asked, his fingers tracing down my cheek. _I don’t feel any desire from you. Only anger, betrayal and loss._

“No,” I sulked. “I mean, I always want you. But, I need to feel close to you. Not necessarily making love to you, but I have to feel you. Your skin. Your love.”

“Anything, Bella,” Edward whispered. He removed his shirt and pants and helped me take off the nightgown I wore. We tangled together and I let the warmth of his skin, his gentle touch and his quiet whispers of love, and reassurance, calm me in the way he only knew how. I moved as close to Edward as possible. We eventually drifted off, only to wake up when the sun peaked over the horizon. We didn’t move from our bed all day. I spent the entire day grieving for my father. Edward held me and let me rage, cry, scream and fall apart.

By nightfall, Edward had encouraged me to soak in the bathtub while he prepared us some dinner. I didn’t want to be away from him, but spending all day in bed and the litany of tears and sadness, the idea of a long bath felt ideal. After an hour in the tub, I dressed in one of Edward’s shirts and nothing else, walking down to the kitchen. Edward was also freshly washed, obviously having taken a shower in the downstairs bathroom. Edward had made something called pizza and garlic bread. “With as emotional as the past few weeks has been, comfort food cures all ills,” he said, slicing up the pizza. “This was my go-to for comfort food when I wanted to forget all of the shittiness of the world. There was a pizzeria in Seattle, Serious Pie, which made my favorite pizza. I did my best to recreate it here. I even made garlic butter dipping sauce.”

“Sounds heavenly and smells even better,” I said, sitting down at the breakfast bar. “And what’s this?”

“It’s an Earth alcoholic beverage. It’s called beer,” Edward said, putting a glass of amber carbonated liquid in front of me. “It’s the only thing that goes with pizza. If you don’t like it, thought, I’ll get you whatever you want.”

I reached for the glass and took a tentative sip. I expected it to taste sweet, but it wasn’t. There was a sweetness in the after taste, but the flavor that exploded on my tongue was almost sour. It wasn’t unpleasant. After a second sip, I found myself enjoying it more. “This is good.”

“Excellent. While I finish up the pizza, enjoy some of the cheesy garlic bread. We’ve got about ten minutes until I can pull out the pizza from the oven,” he smiled, moving back to the large bowl filled with various greens, vegetables and some more cheese.

“ _Ti’ane,_ thank you for being there for me yesterday and today,” I whispered, nibbling on the cheesy garlic bread. “Your support and love has made this most difficult time a lot easier.”

“Bella, I’d do anything for you. I’m so sorry that it was a member of your family that informed Alliance of your father’s whereabouts, ultimately causing his death,” he frowned, tossing some more veggies into the bowl. “Please take some solace that Liannette and Caius will pay, ultimately, for their crimes. The Alliance has vowed to not come to Cygnari space and from what my father has told me, may not be in existence for very much longer.”

“I think my father chose you for me,” I smiled sadly. “You are exactly what he would have wanted for me. Someone strong, smart, handsome, funny and an effective, amazing leader.”

“I’m all that and I love you more than my own life,” Edward said, taking my hand in his. “I can’t wait to start the next phase in our relationship, Nirabelle. I want to put this ugliness of the war and the battles behind us. I want only good things for you, for me, for our people.”

“You have no idea what it means to me to hear you say that,” I breathed, looking up into his vibrant green depths.

“What? That I love you?” he asked, his mouth quirking up into a crooked grin.

My favorite grin.

I leaned forward kissing his lips, giggling quietly. “I do love hearing that, but hearing you call the Cygnarian people as _our_ people,” I explained, tracing my fingers along his pink lips. He kissed me again, growling deeply from inside. I moaned and deepened our kiss. I was growing more aroused and I wanted to beg him to take me on the counter when the oven beeped. We broke apart, panting heavily. “To be continued, _ti’ane?_ ”

“Oh yes,” he smirked, turning to take out the pizza. He set it atop the stove and let it rest while he finished assembling the salad. A few moments later, he cut me a slice and we ate our meal in a comfortable silence, speaking mentally and teasing each other sexually with our minds. Once dinner was done, we worked to clean up the kitchen and placed the leftovers into the refrigeration unit. As I was washing the dishes, Edward slid behind me and his arms wrapped around my waist. “You are a tease, Empress.”

“So are you. Walking around without a shirt on,” I giggled, pressing body back to his bare torso.

“Walking around without pants,” Edward argued, his hand sliding down the curve of my hip and up the back of my body. “Or underwear. Fuck, Bella.”

“Hmmm, that sounds good,” I purred, turning around and staring into his eyes. I could feel my body grow more aroused and my spots sizzled a deep plum. I tore the shirt from my body, revealing my naked form. He growled and picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. Deftly, he moved us to the kitchen island, kissing me deeply as his fingers kneaded my behind. Laying me onto the freshly cleaned surface, he spread my thighs and began to eagerly kiss my sex. I moaned wantonly, my fingers flying to his messy hair.

Within moments, I was screaming in pleasure, writhing under his expert, sensual touch. His mind is telling me how much he loved devouring my pussy, tasting every inch of my body and making me quake with pleasure. I finished with my first orgasm and Edward kissed up my body. I pleaded to feel him from the inside. He stared into my eyes as he slid into my warmth, completing me with his love. With each thrust, our connection bound us closer and closer together, wrapping us in a cocoon of ecstasy. Our lovemaking was intense, all-encompassing and necessary. We finished on the kitchen counter and then moved to the couch, followed by the chaise lounge outside and finally ended up in the bedroom. Our connection, both physical and mental, never broke throughout the course of the night. With each time we made love, we grew closer and our bond solidified, finally enveloping us in a complete _t_ _e’atée_ connection.

Falling asleep just before dawn, we managed to get a few hours of rest before we got dressed for the hearings for Liannette and Caius. Unlike the trial for Norex, we did not dress in clothes of mourning. We were not sad that Liannette and Caius were most likely going to be found guilty and executed for their crimes. I wanted to wear bright, vibrant colors, but Edward suggested that we go with the standard royal blue attire.

Arriving at the capital of _Port’ange’les_ , we were seated in the front of the gallery. Senator J’ran was the noble who was in charge of the trial. He was speaking to a crowd of other nobles as we waited for the prisoners to be brought into the chamber. Maralice, Jasper, Charanel and Elizabeth were seated behind us and several Federation representatives, including Edward’s parents, were with them as well. As we were waiting, there was a bristle amongst the crowd. Edward and I turned, watching as Marcusi and his mate, Didyme, walked up the aisle. Marcusi looked so much older and very frail, but he was walking under his own power. Edward and I stood up, honoring one of the many prisoners of war. Marcusi reached us and he smiled softly at me. “I see that you and your mate are doing quite well, Empress,” he quipped.

“Yes, we are,” Edward snickered.

“How are you?” I asked, twisting my ring on my finger. “Are you alright?”

“I am fine, Empress. Dr. Halé and Kunnan fixed me right up. I just need to get my strength back,” he smiled, kissing my cheek. “However, knowing that my captors are getting their just desserts is making me feel much better already.” He arched a brow, smirking conspiratorially.

As he said that, the doors opened in the rear of the capital building. Bathed in the sunlight, we saw the shadows of Liannette and Caius, sandwiched between two massive Cygnarian guards. Senator J’ran watched as they were paraded up the aisle to the front of the assembly chamber. The crowds in the massive room booed and hissed as they were walking to their waiting table. Seated at the table were a pair of scared-looking solicitors. They were very young, seemingly right out of their schooling, representing Liannette and Caius. Across the hallway, there was another table with the most renowned solicitor in all of Forx. She was going to bury them with all she had.

“Good people of Forx, we are gathered here today to witness the trial of Counselor Caius and Lady Liannette. They have been charged with high treason, mass murder and the death of Emperor Charel,” intoned Senator J’ran. “How do the defendants plea?”

“Not guilty,” Liannette answered snidely.

“Guilty,” Caius answered, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Caius, you fool!” Liannette hissed, going to smack him with her remaining hand. “We said we’d present a united front!”

“The guards in the prison said that I would get life in prison if I pled guilty,” Caius snarled back. “I do not want to die.”

“You’ve been deceived, Counselor Caius,” Senator J’ran barked. “Your plea will not change our decision about execution or not. What we decide regarding your guilt or innocence and how we feel you should be punished is entirely up to this Assembly of Nobles. Now, does this change your plea?”

“No. I’m guilty,” Caius replied. “Regardless of what you decide for sentencing. I willingly aided and assisted the Alliance at every turn. I’m guilty.”

“Your plea is so noted, Counselor Caius,” Senator J’ran said, narrowing his eyes at Caius. “We will then turn our attention to Lady Liannette.” The morning was spent listening to various witnesses that described the full extent of Liannette’s evil nature. After that, we took a brief recess so the solicitor representing Liannette could prepare the defense. The recess ended and then Liannette was called up to the stand.

She smugly described all of her reasons for why she did what she did. In her mind, she was the victim and had done nothing wrong. In fact, she was delusional in believing that she was _helping_ the Cygnarian people. My fingers were clenched around Edward’s hand and it took all of my restraint to not kill her or at least slice off her other hand. When she began describing, in great detail, about how she contacted the Alliance to inform them about my father’s whereabouts on the day of his death, I was absolutely livid.

From Senator J’ran’s reaction, he was too. He put a stop to her testimony. Her solicitor didn’t argue and he sat down, grateful to be done with his job. Liannette bellowed that she didn’t even get a chance to finish her defense. Senator J’ran held up his hand and glowered at her. “We will break and we will deliberate your guilt or innocence. We will reconvene in an hour.” He pressed a button and the room shifted. The dais that held the nobles began rotating. Once the dais rotated a hundred eighty degrees, it settled and we were greeted with the ornate hallway of the capital building. Liannette and Caius were taken away. However, they were taken to separate locations since Liannette was threatening Caius at every turn.

Charanel, Elizabeth, Admiral Cullen, Esme, Jasper, Edward, Marcusi, Didyme, Maralice and I were led to a quiet office of the governor of _Port’ange’les._ I snuggled against Edward’s body while Maralice arranged for some food. I was not hungry. I wanted to know what the Assembly of Nobles were going to say. _Do you think that they’ll find Liannette guilty?_ I asked, toying with Edward’s communicator.

 _From the look of absolute anger on Senator J’ran’s face when he stopped Liannette’s testimony, my guess is probably yes,_ Edward answered, holding me closer to his hard body.

“Bella, you should eat. You need your strength,” Maralice said, handing me a plate of small finger sandwiches.

“Have you heard anything?” I asked.

“No. Not yet. But, it’s only been fifteen minutes,” Maralice replied. “Emperor, do you need anything?”

“I’m good, Maralice. Thank you,” Edward answered, smiling softly. “I’ll just share with Bella.” Maralice nodded and she sat down next to Jasper, who slipped into the governor’s office. We all nibbled on our food, waiting for the Assembly of Nobles to make their decision. Marcusi and Didyme spoke to us about his decision to move away from the Imperial City and to the city of _Ch’ich._ Not right away, of course. He had a great deal of healing he needed to do, but by the end of the year, they would be settled into their new home and enjoying Marcusi’s retirement.

That conversation distracted us until one of the Imperial Guards came into our office, informing us that the Assembly of Nobles had reached their decision. We walked back into the large chamber. The dais was back to what it was before, displaying the entire Assembly of Nobles. Senator J’ran was standing at a podium. Caius and Liannette were led back into the room. Caius was standing up tall, ready to face his fate. Liannette was scowling angrily, obviously upset about the whole situation.

“The good people of Forx, the Assembly of Nobles has rendered a decision regarding the guilt and innocence of Counselor Caius and Lady Liannette. Starting first with Counselor Caius, he already admitted his guilt and we agree with his assessment. Counselor Caius, we find you guilty of high treason and mass murder.”

“Thank you, Senator J’ran,” Caius murmured, bowing his head.

“Lady Liannette, we also find you guilty of high treason and mass murder. Additionally, we find you guilty in the death of Emperor Charel. Your actions, contacting the Alliance, led directly to the death of Emperor Charel,” Senator J’ran growled. Liannette opened her mouth but Senator J’ran held up his hand, silencing her with a stern glare. “Based on the heinous natures of both of your crimes, you are both sentenced to die at sunrise by beheading.”

“Senator J’ran,” Marcusi called, standing up with the help of my mate. “May I address this court?”

“Of course, Counselor Marcusi,” J’ran murmured.

“I am not a counselor anymore,” Marcusi replied. “The Council of Elders no longer exists. However, I’m speaking to you as a victim and as Caius’s brother. His actions are deplorable, as are the actions of Liannette. I would hate to lose my last living brother in such a barbaric way. He deserves to be punished, but he admitted his guilt. He knew this and admitted it. I ask that you sentence Caius to exile. I know I’ll never see my brother again, but I will have some solace knowing that he is alive.” Marcusi looked at Caius. “You showed me mercy when Jakob, Vruk and Liannette wanted to kill me, slaughter me. You protected me.”

“I had to. You are my brother and despite all that happened, I love you, Marcusi,” Caius whispered, his eyes misting and his pale skin flushing. “I am so sorry.”

“I am sorry, too. Senator J’ran?” Marcusi pleaded.

“Let us discuss this and we will render our decision regarding Caius’s sentence at sunrise,” Senator J’ran replied. “For now, we will prepare for the execution of both prisoners at first light tomorrow morning. This hearing is adjourned.” The dais rotated and everyone filtered out of the capital building.

“Marcusi, I’m surprised that you asked for leniency for Caius,” Jasper said.

“He stopped Jakob and Vruk from killing me. It only seemed fair that I do the same for him,” Marcusi said quietly as we walked back toward the waiting hover car. We went back to our temporary home away from home. Marcusi further explained his reasoning, describing how Caius would step in when his torture sessions became too much.

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening talking about the trial, the reconstruction of the Imperial City and plans now that we didn’t have the threat of the Alphans or the Alliance. Edward said that he had to go back to Earth, at some point, to formerly resign from Galaxy Fleet. We decided that we were going back to Earth aboard the _Cygnarus_ after we celebrated the _H’aaruune Ne’irite_ for all who were lost in the battle, including D’Metri.

Almost everyone decided to stay with us. We assigned rooms for all of our guests. Edward and I went to our quarters and made love quietly. We couldn’t sleep. We just curled around each other and ran our fingers up and down our bodies. We stayed together, wrapped up in each other until the alarm went off. We got dressed and scrambled into the waiting hover car. We drove to the _giju’ri_ fields in D’enaalie, going into the Imperial Box located in the very front of the fields.

Caius and Liannette were bound and standing in front of the large white trunks in the center of the field. The seats in the stadium were packed, just like they were for the execution of Norex. Senator J’ran walked out to the podium that was next to the two prisoners. “Good people of Forx, we are here today to witness the deaths of the traitors, Caius and Liannette. However, after deliberating with the Assembly of Nobles, we find that exile would be an appropriate punishment for Counselor Caius. We spoke with Caius and he told us what happened after Marcusi was abducted. Caius, you are hereby sentenced to a lifetime of exile on a planet of our decision. Guards, please take Caius into custody. We will discuss his exile after this _unpleasantness_ is over.”

Caius was taken away and led to the edge of the field, away from the trunk where he was supposed to die. Senator J’ran turned to a fuming Liannette. He read off all of her transgressions. With a succinct nod to his head, Liannette was pressed down to her knees and forced onto the trunk. “Empress Nirabelle, Emperor Edward, do you wish for the execution to take place?”

“Yes,” Edward answered for both of us. “ _Te’garre exputtes exspi al m’gritte._ _Bi’rech scola._ ”

“You heard the proclamation of your Emperor and Empress. _Bi’rech scola,_ ” Senator J’ran sneered to the executioner. With a growl, the executioner spun his axe before bringing it down and neatly separating Liannette’s head from her body. “With her death, we can now move on from the hell of the Alliance and Alphan threat.”

I stood up and walked out onto the field, avoiding the corpse of my aunt. I stepped behind the podium. “With the deaths of Crown Prince Jakob, Legate Vruk and now, Lady Liannette, we can finally focus on the future as Cygnarians. We can move on from this and realize our full potential, and enjoy our futures. This is a step toward our happily ever after. We can finally live our lives without having to be afraid of Alphans or the Alliance will attack. We can harness and cherish our newfound relationship with the Federation. We can achieve my father’s goals of exploring the stars.” I blinked to Edward, smiling softly. “For now, we need to finish mourning the deaths of our loved ones. We need to rebuild our cities. But, I have no doubt that we will prevail. We are Cygnarians. _Shelia’k denneed ieraan ti’ane qoporal shelia’n._ ”

The crowd cheered and I stepped away from the podium. Edward wrapped me in his arms, whispering how proud he was of me. With this execution, we were now closing this chapter of our lives. We still had a few things to wrap up, but we were well on our way to finally achieving our dreams.

And I would do anything to ensure that those dreams come true.

Including my own.

A/n: So, I figured it out. Star Crossed will be twenty-five chapters long. You’ve got two more REAL chapters and then an epilogue. With the schedule I have planned for this, I should be done with this story in December. With this chapter, we do have some pictures. The pictures are on my blog. Link for that is on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79.

Up next will be the _H’aaruune_ for D’Metri and Aro, discussions for the rebuilding the Imperial Palace, and spending some time on Earth. Always, please leave me some loving. I’d be appreciative of it! MWAH!! ;-)

_Gare’sht ~ Cygnarian insult, a cross between fucker, douchebag and asshole_

_Te’garre exputtes exspi al m’gritte ~ She is banished for all eternity in hellfire and darkness_

_Bi’rech scola ~ Kill her_

_Shelia’k denneed ieraan ti’ane qoporal shelia’n ~ Rebuilding and growing is a labor of love and we will do it._


	23. Chapter 23

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Up next will be the _H’aaruune_ for D’Metri and Aro, discussions for the rebuilding the Imperial Palace, and spending some time on Earth.**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

**EPOV**

“J’ran, why does this _s’likoya_ oil burn my skin?” I asked as he rubbed the stuff into my shoulders. “It is most unpleasant.”

“It purifies the soul, Emperor,” J’ran replied. “It cleanses your body and soul before the _H’aaruune._ Didn’t D’Metri do this for you when you had the funeral rite for N’essie?”

“He did and it hurt then, too,” I grumbled, trying not to touch my flaming skin. “I feel like my skin is about to boil off.”

“It shouldn’t hurt that much,” J’ran frowned. “Perhaps the oil is reacting to something in your skin? Human flesh is much softer than Cygnarian.”

I shot him a glare. “Thanks for reminding me that I’m fragile, J’ran,” I deadpanned. “My lifespan is too short, my skin too soft and my body reacts to _em’tuuk_ gas in a way that is not normal. It turned my bones into Swiss cheese, making them easier to break.”

“Emperor,” J’ran began.

“I thought I told you to call me Edward,” I chided, giving J’ran a wry grin.

“Sorry. Edward,” J’ran snorted. “You are not fragile. Quite the opposite. You have the heart of a warrior, fighting for all Cygnarians. Knowing what you were going through during the battle, you have proven to me and to all of our people that you are so strong. We may have longer lives and tougher skin, but your mind, body and heart are stronger than anyone that I have ever met. Emperor Charel included.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, twisting my ring on my finger.

“And we know that Kunnan is giving you an injection to extend your lifespan and you have carbon-infused bones, thanks to the revolutionary technique of your doctor,” J’ran explained. “Now, for your skin? I think I’m going to find a diluted bottle of _s’likoya_ oil. I can see how this is impacting you. You are getting some sort of rash.”

“Have Kunnan come and check me out, please?” I asked. “It’s really uncomfortable.” J’ran nodded, contacting Kunnan.

I had yet to hire a new envoy. J’ran was helping me in matters of state. D’Metri had a younger brother, Qui’lle, who wanted to fill D’Metri’s role as envoy, but he was still too young. He was barely thirteen years old. Qu’ille was smart, but he needed to finish his schooling before taking his place in the palace.

Kunnan did come in a short time later, diagnosing me with a pretty substantial allergic reaction to the _s’likoya_ oil. I was scrubbed clean and had an antihistamine injected into my blood stream. The rash on my pale skin dissipated, but it still burned slightly. Unfortunately, my soul still needed to be cleansed, but it would have to be done with another ointment. It wasn’t as harsh as it was used for children who had to go through the _H’aaruune_ if they lost a parent. The _pryenne_ oil was more pungent than the _s’likoya_ oil, but it didn’t irritate my skin. Though, I felt like I was dipped in a vat of onion rings. The _pryenne_ oil was disgusting and looked like orange sludge. _S’likoya_ oil was more fragrant, but obviously not a viable choice since it was reacting with my body in a negative manner.

Once I was scrubbed with the _pryenne_ oil, I dressed in my white clothes of mourning. We were performing the _H’aaruune_ nearly a month after the battle. The Imperial City had been nearly destroyed with the fighting and air assault from the Imperial Fighters. They were protecting the city, but their disruptors had caused so much damage. The city had to be cleaned up before we could have the public memorial. We had performed a private ceremony with D’Metri’s family in the small fishing village near _Ch’ich_ , but we wanted to publicly honor D’Metri, Aro and all who had died that disastrous day.

The city was now in a state that we could perform the _H’aaruune Ne’irite_ , walking from the steps of the Imperial Palace to the cliffs overlooking the Renien Ocean. The very same location where the memorial of all who were killed in the battle against the Alliance was to be constructed. It was going to be an elegant fountain with shimmering stones in the water, glowing with the names of those who were lost.

“Emperor Edward, the empress is waiting for you in the throne room,” J’ran said, standing in the doorway in his white robes.

I nodded, affixing my mourning circlet upon my head. We were staying in the small house on the grounds of the Imperial Palace since it was not habitable. We arrived back in the Imperial City the night previous. We had stayed in the hideaway in _Port’ange’les_ while the construction, renovation and rebuilding was happening in the Imperial City. After the funeral ceremony, we were transporting aboard the _Cygnarus_ to travel to a nearby star system to drop off Caius onto an M-class moon. We’d fly back to the Terran System with the _Volvo_ and _Enterprise_ as our escorts back to Earth.

Back on my home world, I’d tender my resignation from Galaxy Fleet and then show my mate some of my favorite locations. We were also dropping off Charanel to Galaxy Fleet Academy so he could begin his studies. Working with Jasper, my father and a few other officers, he had already completed the first year of training and was walking in as a second year cadet.

Sliding on my ring, the same ring that was worn by Emperor Charel, I walked out of my bathroom and to the crumbling remains of the Imperial Palace. My mate was standing in the throne room, looking ethereal in her flowy white gown. Her hair was pulled back into a low bun. Centered on her head was a circlet with an _amur_ stone, denoting the loss of a close family member. I walked over to her, enfolding her into my arms. “My love,” I whispered.

“ _Ti’ane_ ,” she purred, sliding her hands up my chest. I pressed my forehead to hers and we began the _H’aaruune._ The memorial for N’essie was big, with crowds lining the streets. The _H’aaruune_ for D’Metri and the other casualties of war was massive, being broadcast on every comm channel on the planet and with hordes of people lining along the streets and in the Imperial City. Everyone wanted to remember and honor the people who died on that day.

Sisters and brothers.

Sons and daughters.

All loved ones.

Honoring every one who died for the freedom of the Cygnarian people and putting an end to Alliance threat.

We walked slowly through the streets of the Imperial City, hand in hand. It was dead silent, save for a few sniffles. Arriving at the cliff face, Bella walked over to D’Metri’s parents and siblings, offering them words of comfort and kindness. I did the same. D’Metri’s mother, Heid’i, hugged me and said that her son was proud to be my envoy. She pressed something into my hand. It was the Imperial Crest that he always wore. “Please take this, Emperor. This was given to D’Metri by Emperor Charel and I knew he wanted you to have it returned.”

I went to open my mouth, but my mate came over to me. “It is an honor to receive such a gift. Thank you,” Bella said. She took the crest and pinned it to my shoulder, just below my communicator. _I know you wanted to say ‘no thank you’ but to Heid’i, but it’s a sign of respect to take a token from the family of the deceased. The fact that she is giving us the Imperial Crest that D’Metri wore for all of his adult life says a lot._

 _I understand, Bella. Thank you,_ I murmured mentally. “Thank you, Heid’i, for such a cherished gift. I will wear it. Always.”

She gave me a watery smile, stepping back into the crowd. Marcusi stepped forward and he performed the _H’aaruune Ne’irite._ It seemed like the entire planet was speaking in concert with Marcusi. My heart was pumping deep within my chest and I was overwhelmed by sadness for the loss of my friend. Bella’s hand found mine as we stood on the edge of the cliff. Tears fell freely from my eyes, an emptiness spreading through my body.

Marcusi handed us the lantern, his own eyes shimmering with tears. I lit it and we whispered the final part of the funeral prayer. Raising our hands, the lantern floated off the edge and bounced innocently over the water. We stayed on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Renien Ocean for several hours, watching the lanterns. With the last light flickering out, nearly five hours later, we went back to the smaller guest house next to the Imperial Palace. Arriving back at the guest house, Maralice said that the _Cygnarus_ was undergoing some minor repairs, enhancing our jump drive and would not be ready to depart until tomorrow morning. Bella and I were grateful for that. The emotions of the funeral rite were too much for both of us and we wanted to just collapse.

Stripping out of our clothes, we curled around each other. Bella spent most of the night crying, sobbing against my chest. I held her and I lost it quietly, finally grieving the loss of life in the pointless, useless war.

The next day, we met with a few architects who were continuing to work on rebuilding the Imperial Palace. Bella deferred to me in the decisions. I chose the design that closely resembled the palace before it was destroyed. The only thing I changed was combining the two suites for Emperor and Empress, removing the wall between the two. I also made a bigger, more lavish bathroom. I definitely grew to love Bella’s huge bathtub/pool and wanted to keep that, making it even more luxurious. Once the plans were finalized, I contacted the _Cygnarus._ They were ready to receive us and begin our four week long journey back to Earth, with a slight detour in the _Gamella’an_ system to deposit Caius onto the moon orbiting _Gamel III._

It was one of the last things that Bella and I needed to do in order to put this Alliance threat behind us. Norex was put to death, as was his mate. We honored all who died, including N’essie, D’Metri, Norelle, Lianel and most importantly, Emperor Charel. The Cygnarian government was reworking itself to be more democratic, aligning itself with the ideals and beliefs of the Federation. One of final steps was to place Caius on his new home, exiling him from the Cygnari system. We also needed to sign a peace treaty with the Alliance, but with the help of my father and Senator J’ran, that was being worked out and hopefully by the time we depart from earth, we would just need to sign and be done with it.

For now, I just wanted to spend some time with my mate and show her _my_ world. We had enough tragedy and sadness to last a lifetime. My beautiful mate deserved a honeymoon and we were going to take it on my home world, Earth.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

A couple of weeks later, in the _Gamella’an_ system, we were standing on a small rise on the moon of _Gamel III._ We were waiting for Caius to be transported down onto the surface. The moon was M-Class, with a lot of wildlife, fresh water and natural resources. There was no intelligent life on the planet, but it would serve as an excellent place for Caius to serve his life-long exile. Bella and Marcusi were adamant on leaving him with the bare minimum of supplies, but I managed to talk her to allowing us to leave him with a basic shelter, emergency rations and several weapons.

“It seems like he’s going on vacation,” Bella growled, scowling at the shelter that was in a pile. “This is too nice.”

“It’s not too nice, Bella. He has to assemble the shelter and it’s difficult to do with one person,” I said. “We’re not leaving any technology with him. His life will be tough.”

“We should have killed him,” Bella spat.

“Empress, I know that he committed atrocities against our people, but he saved me. He deserved the same respect,” Marcusi said. “Granted, this is a lot nicer than I would have done, but it seems like a reasonable compromise.” Bella huffed, walking away from Caius’s home for the rest of his natural life.

“Cullen to _Enterprise,_ ” I said, tapping my insignia. “Transport the prisoner down to the surface.”

“Understood, sir,” replied the transporter chief.

Caius shimmered down to his new home. He had his hair cut short and he was wearing some very rugged clothing. On his shoulder, he had a few bags filled with clothes, some books and journals. He looked at his surroundings, his nose wrinkling. Caius realized that his life would never be the same.

“Brother, you did this to yourself,” Marcusi muttered, looking at his sibling.

“I know and I’m grateful to have my head still attached to my body,” Caius said, running his hand through his shorn hair. “Can I have a few moments with you, Marcusi?”

“We’ll just be over here,” I said, walking to my mate and guiding her away from the two brothers. Bella glowered as they spoke. She was undoubtedly upset at the Assembly of Nobles’ decision to keep Caius alive, sentencing him to exile, but it was their decision since Caius had protected Marcusi while he was in the custody of the Alliance.  “Bella, how would you feel if Charanel was found guilty of a crime and was sentenced to death? Would you do everything in your power to keep him alive?”

“I would,” she said, her scowl softening. “It’s just that … Caius’s actions caused so much pain.”

“But, he tried to redeem himself in the end. The Assembly of Nobles recognized that and Marcusi fought for it because Caius fought for him,” I said, wrapping my arms around Bella’s waist.

We watched as the brothers said their goodbyes. Caius tried to hug Marcusi, but he stepped back. Despite Caius’s help aboard the Reman vessel, there was still resentment there. Caius frowned. Marcusi handed his brother a small satchel he wore over his shoulder. With a curt nod, Marcusi walked over to us, his eyes shimmering with tears. “I’m ready to go,” he whispered.

“Cullen to _Cygnarus_ ,” I said. “Three to transport aboard.”

Marcusi waved as the transporter locked on, beaming us onto the transporter room in the _Cygnarus._ Marcusi shuddered, wiping his cheek. “Thank you for allowing me to come down.”

“Of course, Marcusi,” I replied.

“What did you give him?” Bella asked.

“A few mementos of our childhood, pictures of our family and an emergency beacon,” Marcusi replied. “I explained to him that if he was gravely injured, we would come and check on him, but I doubt he’ll use it. I just wanted to give him the option of having it. You know?” A tear escaped Marcusi’s eye. “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to spend some time with my mate. I’m …”

“Go,” Bella replied, hugging Marcusi. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, Empress. It’s not as bad as knowing that he died, but never being able to see him again,” he whispered, scurrying out of the transporter room.

“I’m so heartless,” Bella choked out. “I should go to him. Apologize for being so cruel.”

“No. Leave him be. He needs to grieve and the best way for him to do that is with his mate,” I said, guiding her to the bridge of the _Cygnarus_. She looked sadly toward Marcusi’s quarters before nodding. Once on the bridge, I contacted both the _Volvo_ and the _Enterprise,_ informing them that we were ready to depart for Earth. A few moments later, we were all at jump speeds, flying away from Caius’s new home and toward my old one.

The rest of the journey back to Earth went by without any incident. Bella was quiet, contemplative. Marcusi stayed in his quarters for the remainder of the trip, obviously grieving his brother. Once we arrived in the Sol System, the _Enterprise_ went to the Utopia Planetia ship yards to get their vessel inspected. It was the only location in the system, orbiting Jupiter, large enough to accommodate the Galaxy _-_ Class ship like the _Enterprise._ The _Volvo_ was going to be overhauled in dry dock orbiting around Earth.

“Emperor, we are approaching the Earth’s moon,” said the officer sitting at the navigation station.

“On screen,” I whispered. The screen blinked to life and in the distance, I saw the Lunar Colony. Just beyond that, the perfect blue and green marble of Earth glittered amongst the velvety blackness of space. Normally, my heart would be sputtering in my chest at the prospect of being home, but I didn’t feel that. It was just another planet to me, whereas my heart now sputtered for Forx. “Put us in orbit over the northern hemisphere and open a channel to Galaxy Fleet Headquarters.”

“Aye, sir.” There were a few beeps and the screen blinked to Admiral Banner’s office. “Channel open, Emperor.”

I stood up at attention. “Admiral Banner,” I greeted. “It’s nice to see you, sir.”

“At ease, Captain,” he chuckled. “I’m happy that everything went well in the Cygnari system. You’re out of uniform?”

“I took a leave of absence. My father, Admiral Cullen, was aware of my decision, sir,” I answered.

“I was hoping that seeing you back on Earth would convince you otherwise,” Admiral Banner replied. “Welcome back, Captain. What can I do for you?”

“We’ve traveled a long distance and I’d like the crew of the _Cygnarus_ to be allowed to visit the planet’s surface, sir,” I requested.

“Permission granted. We do need you come in and debrief Galaxy Fleet’s tribunal about what happened, but we’ll schedule that after you’ve settled. Anything else, Captain?” Admiral Banner asked.

“No, sir. I’ll be in contact with you regarding that debrief,” I nodded. “My mate and I will be transporting down to the surface shortly.”

“Mate? You got married?” Admiral Banner bellowed. “Congratulations, Captain!”

“Thank you, sir, but it’s more than marriage. Deeper than that,” I chuckled, taking Bella’s hand. She stood up, snuggling to my side. Her spots glowed when I kissed her forehead.

“I’m overjoyed for you, Captain. And to you, as well, Empress Nirabelle,” Admiral Banner smiled. “Make sure you visit me and my wife, Captain. We want to congratulate you both!”

“We will, sir,” I answered, grinning at the admiral. He had been my mentor when I decided to change my focus to become an officer, moving to the command side of Galaxy Fleet. “Thank you.”

“I’ll see you soon, Edward. Banner out.” The screen blinked to the Galaxy Fleet insignia before changing to the live shot of Earth.

“Commander Pri’esste, the _Cygnarus_ is in your command until I return,” I said to the highest ranking officer on the bridge.

“Emperor, we need to finish making a few upgrades to the jump drive, refill our deuterium stores and recalibrate the dilithium chamber. Additionally, we have to modify our shield emitters and finalize the repairs to the hull from the battle,” Commander Pri’esste explained.

“Contact Captain LaForge. He’s the commander of dry dock,” I said. “He can have some Galaxy Fleet personnel assist you in the repairs. Also, enjoy some time on the planet’s surface. I think you’ll find the Hawaiian Islands and locations in the Caribbean to be similar to the Forx climate.”

“Thank you, Emperor. I will create a schedule for shore leave,” Commander Pri’esste said. “Enjoy your time on the planet, sir.”

“Thank you, Commander,” I replied, offering my hand to Bella. She took it and we walked to our quarters. We had a few bags packed, but we needed to finish packing our toiletries before transporting down to my apartment in Seattle. “Are you excited to go to Earth?” I asked her.

“Very much,” she beamed. “Do we have any plans?”

“Obviously, I have to meet with Admiral Banner to debrief about the situation in the Cygnari system. I also need to deliver my resignation letter to him as well. Though, I think he already knows,” I shrugged. My tablet beeped and I received a communiqué from my mother. Snorting, I showed it to Bella. “We also need to have celebration for our mating with my family and colleagues. My mother is arranging for reception for us prior to our departure back to Forx. From what I’m understanding, it’s going to be a huge diplomatic and Galaxy Fleet to-do. She’s talking about having some famous designer create a dress for you.”

“That’s really not necessary,” Bella said, sitting down on the bed in our quarters. With a sigh, she looked up at me. “We also need to set up Charanel at Galaxy Fleet Academy,” Bella murmured, pursing her lips.

“Hey, he’ll be fine, Bella,” I soothed, cupping her cheek. “And let’s not forget our time together. Enjoying our honeymoon.” My mind swirled with everything I wanted to do with her. Bella’s spots glowed a deep, seductive purple and she licked her lips enticingly.

“And what do you have planned for that?” she purred, her hands sliding up my arms.

“A couple of things, Bella. First off, we’re going camping like I did when I was a kid. Really roughing it,” I snickered.

“Very romantic,” Bella said dryly, moving back to finish packing our belongings.

“You’d be surprised how erotic making love is in the open air, with the stars as our audience. But, that’s only for a couple of days. The rest of our time will be spent in Chicago. My ancestors were from there and whenever I come back to Earth, I always make an effort to visit,” I smiled, moving to stand behind her with my arms around her tiny waist. She turned and I dipped my head to kiss her soft lips. “We’ll stay in a residence called a brownstone. They were built in the early 1900s and quite lovely, quaint.”

“Does your family own this brownstone?” Bella asked.

“It’s been in my family for generations,” I said. “We’ve maintained its beauty, but added modern amenities.” I pulled our bags onto my shoulder. “Shall we?” She nodded, weaving her fingers through mine. We walked down the corridor to the transporter room. Standing on the platform, I nodded to the transporter chief and we shimmered into my modern, cold, sterile apartment in downtown Seattle, just a few kilometers from Galaxy Fleet Command.

Bella removed her hand from mine, walking around the apartment. “This is quite …” she trailed off, wrinkling her nose.

“Okay, keep in mind. I’m only here once every couple of years. The last time I was here was almost two years ago,” I snickered. The décor was masculine and it was sorely lacking any warmth that I had grown accustomed to while staying in the palace or any home on Forx. “I’m just grateful that my caretaker was able to clean it up and open it up for me.” The computer console beeped. “Feel free to explore. There’s not a lot, but …”

“Answer your call, _ti’ane,_ ” she said, turning to poke around in my apartment.

I turned to the computer console, speaking briefly to Admiral Banner. The debriefing for the Cygnari/Alliance conflict was scheduled for the following day at 0900 hours. I was requested to attend by my commanding officer. Looking down at my clothes, I’d have to break out my uniform for the last time. “Bella, I’m going to work on my resignation letter in my office,” I called to her, reaching into my bag to pull out the tablet where I had my work saved. She walked back into the main living area, her nose wrinkled adorably. “My taste is not that bad.”

“You only have a sonic shower, Edward,” she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. “They hurt my ears.”

“Bella, we’re only going to be here for a few days. Then, we’ll transport to the Hoh Olympic Rainforest for our camping trip for the weekend and then I’ll pilot a shuttle to Chicago for the rest of our trip. The brownstone in Chicago has a large bathtub. Not as big as yours, but big enough for the two of us to have some fun.” I waggled my brows. She giggled. “I do have to work on this resignation letter. I’ve got the debriefing at 0900. I want to meet with Admiral Banner immediately following it.”

“How long will the letter take?” Bella asked.

“I just need to do a few revisions, but not long. Do you want to go exploring?” I replied. She nodded eagerly. “Well, let me get this done and then we’ll take a stroll in the sculpture park in downtown Seattle.” She grabbed her own tablet, researching the places that I had mentioned. I worked on my resignation, putting the finishing touches on it before saving it to a smaller tablet to be presented to my mentor. Once I was finished, I took my mate out on a date, wandering in the Seattle Sculpture Park and acting like a young couple in love.

It felt strangely _normal_.

I fucking loved it!

xx STAR CROSSED xx

“Are you sure that this is what you want, Edward?” Admiral Banner asked, reading my letter. “You are one of the finest officers in the fleet. I don’t want to lose you.”

“My place is no longer here, Admiral. I love my job. I love exploring the stars, but my priorities have changed. Empress Nirabelle is _everything_ to me. I love her so much and I need to be there for her. For our people.”

“You are an explorer, Edward. You were destined for this job as Galaxy Fleet captain,” Admiral Banner said, his brow furrowing.

“I can still explore. I have a fleet of ships at my disposal in the Cygnari system. The _Cygnarus_ , the ship in orbit, is mine to do with as I please,” I shrugged.

“Perhaps I can offer a compromise?”

“What’s that, sir?” I asked.

“We need a Federation ambassador in the Cygnari system. The Cygnarian delegates have arrived, ready to serve on the Federation Council, but we do not have someone there. You’d retain your rank and security clearance as captain, but your assignment would be in the Cygnari system,” Admiral Banner suggested.

“I’m honored that you would want me to act as ambassador for the Federation, sir. Can I think about it?” I replied. “I don’t want to rush into something; make a hasty decision.”

“Let me know before you depart for Forx, Edward,” Admiral Banner smiled. “I know you’re leaving in a few weeks, after your mother’s reception for you and Empress Nirabelle.”

“Oh, God. You know? How many people are coming?” I asked, laughing anxiously.

“At last count, around a thousand,” Admiral Banner snickered. “You know how much your mother loves her parties.”

“Fabulous,” I grumbled, sitting back in the chair in Admiral Banner’s office. “Maybe we can leave a few days early and avoid the party.”

“Unlikely, Edward,” Admiral Banner laughed. “She’d call the entire fleet to search for you. It’s best to just grin and bear it.” He stood up. I did the same, shaking his hand. “Contact me once you’ve made your decision about becoming the Federation ambassador in the Cygnari sector.”

“Of course, sir. Thank you for your support. You have no idea how much that means to me,” I smiled. We shook hands and I left Galaxy Fleet Command. Bella, Elizabeth and Charanel were wandering around the city, getting items for Charanel’s dorm room for the Academy. He was moving in today, ironically in my old quarters. I left Command, hopping on a transporter pad to get to the Academy, which was on Mercer Island. Prior to World War III in the early twenty-second century, Mercer Island had been the elite neighborhood in Seattle. That all changed when it was obliterated by Mid-European Alliance. Once Galaxy Fleet Academy had been formed, we decided to use Mercer Island to build the school.

I walked to the dorms, getting saluted left and right by the cadets. One of the fourth year cadets asked if I was going to be teaching this semester, but I said no. When I reached the dorms designated for second and third year students, I saw Elizabeth, Bella and Charanel speaking with one of my old teachers, Ambassador Suran. He was one of the leading astrometric experts and well-known for his theories on multiphasic shielding. His class was the one that nearly forced me to retake my second year as a cadet, but he worked with me to ensure that I understood each theory presented.

“Captain Cullen,” sang Ambassador Suran, nodding reverently my way. “The prodigal son has returned.”

“Ambassador,” I said, nodding back at him. He was a respected and decorated Galaxy Fleet officer, retiring the year from the fleet I joined the Academy. He was a Turulian/human hybrid. His mind was disciplined like a Turulian, focusing on logic, but he was able to access his emotions. “I have returned, but only temporarily. I’ve brought my mate to Earth to give her a tour of my home. In a few weeks, we will be departing for Forx.”

“So, the rumors are true?” Ambassador Suran asked.

“Yes, sir. Well, kind of,” I snickered. “Admiral Banner offered me an option but I want to discuss it with Bella first.”

 _What is it?_ She asked.

 _I’ll tell you after we get Charanel settled into his room,_ I replied, kissing her temple. “Are you teaching astrometrics this semester?”

“I’ve since moved to exobiology and quantum mechanics, Captain,” Suran said. “I filled in for Admiral Molina when he went on medical leave last year and found the classes to be fascinating. Charanel informed me that I will be his advisor as well as quantum mechanics professor. I am looking forward to discussing your theories. Captain Whitlock and Admiral Cullen have both sent me your progress. I’m impressed.”

“And he doesn’t impress easily,” I snickered.

“Charanel, I’ll see you in class on Monday,” Suran replied, nodding at my brother.

“Thank you, sir. I’m looking forward to class,” Charanel said. Suran turned on his heel and glided away, heading to the science directorate. Charanel was star-struck. He smiled at me. “Ambassador Suran, author of _Multiphasic Shields and Their Practical Applications_ , is going to be my quantum mechanics professor. His theories on shield harmonics and their impact on the jump field is revolutionary.”

“And this is why Ambassador Suran had to tutor me,” I laughed. “You lost me, Charanel. Engineering was never my strong suit. I can pilot a shuttle and I know the workings of a jump core, but the nuances of shield harmonics and generating a stable jump field? Not so much.”

“You’re all speaking a foreign language to me,” Elizabeth said, shaking her head. “I prefer the past.”

“I don’t blame you there. I much enjoy the arts. Music, sculpture, theater, paintings,” Bella smiled.

“We all have our strengths,” I replied, weaving my hand with Bella’s. “Are you ready to move in, Charanel?”

“I’m ready, but anxious. My roommate is a Benzite and I’ve never met a Benzite before,” Charanel whispered, his eyes wide.

“Benzites are a peaceful people. Tall, with pearlescent blue skin and no hair. They don’t have noses, like we do. Nor can they process oxygen. They have a breathing apparatus to assist with their breathing needs. I had a friend in the Academy who had a Benzite roommate. She said that the apparatus helped put her to sleep at night. When they separated the following year, she had a hard time sleeping without the quiet puffs of the mist of the breathing machine,” I explained. “What’s your roommate’s name?”

“Meurdochh,” Charanel said. “He should be in the room already. He moved in the day before yesterday.” He shifted on his feet, tugging on this cadet’s uniform. “Let’s go. I want to get myself settled. Classes start the day after tomorrow.” He weaved his fingers with my sister and they walked toward the dormitory. Bella and I followed at a discreet distance. Charanel checked in with the lieutenant commander at the front desk. Charanel was issued a Galaxy Fleet communicator, a handheld tablet, tricorder and type-II phaser. With a smile, Charanel turned and walked to the turbolift. We all rode up to the fourteenth floor. Charanel squared his jaw as the doors opened and walked purposefully to his assigned room. Inside, he introduced himself to his roommate and like that, Charanel began his Galaxy Fleet Academy experience.

Bella greeted Meurdochh and we all chatted before Meurdochh informed Charanel about a meeting for all second year cadets at 1500 hours. That gave them about an hour before leaving for the meeting. Sadly, Bella gave her brother a hug and we left him to set up his room, with the help of Meurdochh. After we left the dorms, Elizabeth took Bella’s hand. “I’m staying here on Earth, taking a teaching position at Stanford. It’s only a transport away,” Elizabeth smiled. “I know that my brother is in good hands with you. Trust me with yours, Nirabelle.”

“Thank you for being there for him and for loving him, Elizabeth,” Bella smiled, hugging my sister. “When it comes time for your mating ceremony, I can’t wait to call you sister because with your bonding with my brother, we truly will be.”

“I look forward to that, Bella,” Elizabeth replied. “Now, I must go. I’m expected to depart for San Francisco in an hour or so. I still need to pack.”

“Always the procrastinator,” I teased.

“And this is why I did not join Galaxy Fleet,” she snickered, kissing my cheek. “Have fun on your honeymoon.”

“We intend to,” I said, pulling Bella to my side. Elizabeth walked toward a transporter pad, requesting to be transported to our parent’s home. Bella and I were transported back to Galaxy Fleet Command, where we walked back to my apartment. We finished packing and were getting ready to depart to a shuttle bay to fly up to the Hoh Rainforest. The door chimed as I put our bags in the living room. “Enter.”

Senator J’ran walked in, dressed casually and holding a tablet. “I’m sorry to disturb both of you. I just spoke with one of the Cygnarian delegates assigned to the Federation Council. She told me that her mother is dying and needs to return to Forx. We are short one delegate.”

“Why don’t you do it, J’ran?” Bella suggested.

“I was asked to be the administrator of the Assembly of Nobles,” Senator J’ran said. “I do enjoy my time here on Earth. I find all of the different cultures here fascinating.” His brows furrowed. “Perhaps I can fill in temporarily until the Assembly of Nobles chooses another representative. I’d love to learn more about humans and Federation. My concern is who will be the administrator of the Assembly of Nobles?”

“I think that Maralice has expressed an interest in changing her position in the palace. With her budding relationship with Jasper, she wants more freedom to travel with him. The Assembly of Nobles only meets a few times a year,” Bella explained.

 _Would you be okay with that?_ I asked mentally. _Maralice is much more than an Envoy to you. The love between the two of you is like mother and daughter._

 _I would be okay. Jerasse has told me that she would like to become my Envoy. I trust her and I know that she’d become a very important advisor and friend,_ Bella smiled, sliding her arms around my waist. “Think about it, J’ran. You don’t have to make any decisions right now, but consider it.”

“Thank you,” he replied, bowing respectfully. “I’ll let you and Edward enjoy your time. Have fun and I’ll see you at the festivities your mother has planned.”

“Should I be afraid?” I snorted.

“She mentioned something called a three-ring circus?” J’ran asked, his brow arched in confusion.

“Oh, God,” I moaned, scrubbing my hand over my face.

“Good luck, Emperor,” J’ran snickered, turning on his heel.

He left and I sat on the back of my couch. “My mother is a force of nature. If she is dropping hints like a ‘three-ring circus,’ our reception is going to be massive.”

“It’s appropriate, Edward. We are heads of state and we need to get used it,” Bella giggled. “Whenever we go to different locations, we will be dealing with large receptions and stuffy, formal dinners.”

“I better brush up my skills in small talk,” I quipped, tugging on my hair.

“Small talk?” Bella asked. “I’m not familiar with that term.”

“Just nonsense, polite conversations that really have no meanings,” I explained. “I was tempted to suggest offering a seminar at Galaxy Fleet Academy in small talk. Diplomacy works so much better when the two parties involved are comfortable with each other. Small talk breaks the ice.” I checked the time. “We should go, Bella. I want to get up to the campsite before night fall.”

She nodded and we grabbed our bags, walking to the shuttle bay near Galaxy Fleet Command. Using my command codes, I got us a shuttle. We loaded up our bags in the cargo hold. I went through the preflight sequence before starting the engines. Using maneuvering thrusters, I guided the shuttle through the atmosphere. Once I was outside of the city, I moved us above the clouds and flew us to the coordinates in the Hoh Rainforest. An hour later, I landed the shuttle and powered down her engines. Gathering our bags, we hiked a few kilometers until we reached a meadow next to a small lake. I had been there numerous times with friends and even once with my family.

Elizabeth and Dad complained the entire time. Elizabeth was the epitome of a girly-girl. Dad was more comfortable on a starship than in the throes of nature. Mom and I loved it.

“Your memories of this place are very funny,” Bella giggled. “I can’t imagine your father here.”

“Neither could he,” I snorted. “I think he fabricated the Galaxy Fleet emergency that called him back to Seattle just to get out of camping for the full week.” Putting my hands on my hips, I inhaled deeply. “No emergencies for us. Just three days of frolicking in nature.” Arching a brow at my mate, I smiled crookedly. “Clothing optional.”

“Hmmm, I like that idea,” she said.

“Before we decide to become one with nature, let’s set up the tent and make something to eat. The sun will set in about an hour,” I said. We worked together to set up the tent. Once the tent was set up, I got wood for the fire. Bella prepared the food and we settled onto the chaise, eating s’mores.

“What are we going to do, besides each other?” Bella giggled.

“Well, tomorrow, I’d like to take you on a hike. This meadow is beautiful, but there is one about three kilometers north of here that overlooks Lake Crescent,” I replied, kissing her neck. “We’ll leave midmorning and make it to the Lake Crescent by the afternoon. The water will be warm enough that we can go skinny dipping.”

“Skinny dipping?” Bella asked, a smile on her beautiful face.

“Going swimming without any clothes on,” I answered, brushing my lips with hers.

“Hmmm, that does sound appealing,” she breathed against my mouth. Nipping my lips, she got up and tugged on my arm. “I think we should start now.” I let my mate drag me into our tent, tearing my clothes from my body and doing the same to hers. We spent the night worshipping each other’s bodies, falling asleep just before dawn.

When we woke up, it was a little later than I anticipated, but we still had enough time to walk to the meadow overlooking Lake Crescent. We got dressed and I loaded up a pack. The hike was fun and teasing. Bella kissed me as often as she could, usually when I’d point out some flower or animal. She was impressed with my knowledge of the flora and fauna of my favorite place on the planet, followed by the city of Chicago. Two hours after we started our hike, we reached Lake Crescent. It was beautiful as I remembered. Even more beautiful with Bella standing on the shoreline.

“This is …” she breathed. “It’s so green and so gorgeous. I’ve never seen something so beautiful.”

“I beg to differ,” I smiled, wrapping my arms around her waist. My lips found her neck, licking her spots just behind her ear. She shuddered, leaning back into my arms. “Do you want to eat something before we take a dip in the lake?”

“I’d rather eat you,” she purred, turning around in my arms. _I can’t get enough of you, Edward. I need you again._

“I’m yours, Bella,” I murmured. She twined her fingers into my hair and pulled my lips to hers. I bent down, picking her up and pressing her against a nearby tree. Our tongues tangled together. Bella tugged my shirt from my body, tossing it onto the ground. She looked at me, her eyes hooded. “What do you want, Bella?”

“You,” she breathed, her hands moving down my shoulders. “Make love to me. Right here. Right now.”

I moved us and lay down, with Bella astride my waist. I lifted her shirt, growling when I saw her bare chest. She was absolutely gorgeous, flushed and desperate for my touch. The sun in Forx had a slight blue tinge to its light. Seeing Bella in the light of Earth’s sun made her skin sparkle with a golden glow. Licking my lips, I ran my fingers down her line of spots, watching as they changed colors under my hands. I looked up to Bella’s eyes, lost in the swirling electric blue that shone with nothing but love for me. Cupping her breasts, I kissed her soft lips. Rolling her nipples with my fingers, I devoured her mouth.

 _Edward, I need more,_ she thought, her hands tugging on my hair forcefully. I eagerly complied, squeezing her breasts just to hear her whimpers of need. I rolled us and removed her pants, revealing her completely bare body. I kissed down her body and eagerly spread the lips of her sex. I slid my tongue inside of her, my eyes rolling back as I tasted the two of us from deep within her body. I licked every inch of her quaking pussy until she was screaming in ecstasy. When I was done, I crawled up her body. She was panting heavily; her skin covered in a sheen of perspiration. It only added to her appeal. She looked up at me and her normally bright, vibrantly blue eyes were nearly black with desire. She flipped me easily and practically tore my pants off.

Her movements were almost predatory as she crawled between my legs. She eyed my cock, looking at it hungrily. Licking her lips, Bella wrapped her fingers around my base. She ran her tongue along the length and teased me until I was writhing, panting for _more_. I was clawing at the grass beneath me. When she finally sunk her mouth around me, I let out the most embarrassing moan ever. She licked every inch of my cock, building my orgasm to almost a breaking point. “Holy fuck, Bella! I’m going to …” I barked.

She released me, moving so she was just above my leaking, glistening cock. She slid down my length and her pussy clenched around me. _Oh, shit!_ She rode me almost violently. I met her, thrust for thrust. We were fucking, dirty, hard and desperate. I rolled us and tossed her legs up onto my shoulders. I was buried so deep within her. Her mind was spinning out of control and she was murmuring in Cygnarian, begging for her own release. We both exploded together. I was surrounded by the warmth of her body and our love.

After we caught our breath, I picked up my mate and carried her to Lake Crescent. We washed the evidence of our coupling off in the lake before having another messy romp in the water. We spent an hour laying on the blanket I had brought, drying off before we packed up and walked back to our campsite. Bella and I made dinner before cuddling into the sleeping bag I brought. Thankfully, it was a clear night and I pointed out various constellations that essentially called me to a life traveling among the stars. I didn’t go back to Earth often when I was younger, but when I did, seeing the stars and researching them solidified my decision to join Galaxy Fleet.

We fell asleep relatively early since we had spent most the night previous making love. Additionally, our hike and sexual explorations on the banks of Lake Crescent had exhausted us. We slept hard, only waking up when the sun breached the horizon. When we got up, we dismantled the tent and hiked back to the shuttle. Bella was quiet as we loaded our belongings into the cargo hold. “Are you okay, Bella?” I asked.

“I’m fine. I’m just going to miss this place. I can see why you enjoy spending time here,” she said, looking out the window of the shuttle. “I’m excited to see Chicago, but I miss Forx.”

“I do, too. Earth will always be where I’m from, but Forx is my home, now,” I said. “Do you want to take a sonic shower before I lift off?”

“I think so. The lake was quite romantic, but it didn’t do much by ways of cleaning us,” she snorted. She slipped into the aft compartment, taking her shower.

I went through the preflight sequences. When she came back out, wearing a beautiful, flowy blue gown, I got up and took my own sonic shower. It felt good to have the grime from camping off my body. Dressing in some casual clothing, I sat back down at the pilot’s chair. I took off and began the three and half hour flight to Chicago. Bella even took the con for an hour, practicing her maneuvering in the atmosphere.

We spent nearly two weeks in Chicago, enjoying time with just the two of us. We made love, spent time walking along the lakefront, partaking in local cuisine – Bella loved Chinese food – and going to various museums, theaters and historical landmarks. Toward the end of our time, my mother contacted us and told Bella to get a dress for our reception. We spent the last two days in search for a perfect dress for the reception. We eventually found one at the refurbished Marshall Field’s store. It was something completely different than what she usually wore. It was sparkly, elegant with the perfect amount of fun.

We flew back to Seattle the following day. As soon as we were out of the shuttle, my mom and sister took my mate from my arms. They said something about girly pampering for the reception that scheduled for tomorrow. I went back to my apartment and was greeted by Jasper, Emmett, J’ran, my father and Marcusi. Charanel was invited, but he was working with his study group for Ambassador Suran’s class. We spent the evening in my apartment and we introduced J’ran and Marcusi to the joys of poker. It was a poor substitute for my mate, but I was pretty distracted most of the night.

The next day, I met up with Bella for breakfast. She told me about her time with my mom, sister, Rose and Maralice in a spa. She seemed to enjoy herself and loved spending time with just the girls. We got ready for the reception, which was being held in the large reception hall at Galaxy Fleet Command on the campus of the Seattle Space Needle. I wore my dress uniform with a sash of the Cygnarian royalty. Bella’s dress was ethereal, sparkling magically and making her look more exquisite than I’d ever seen her. Her hair was curled and an elegant circlet was weaved into her mahogany locks. Pinned around her body was a matching sash just like mine.

“Edward, can I speak with you for a moment?” Mom called. She was wearing an elegant navy blue dress.

“I’ll be right back, Bella,” I smiled, kissing her lips. My mom dragged me to a corner of the reception hall, pressing a box into my hand. “What’s this?”

“Something that represents our family. I know that you are giving up a lot to be with her. I love Nirabelle. She’s such a sweet, lovely girl, but you don’t have anything that represents you. _Us,_ ” Mom explained. “This is your grandmother’s engagement ring. You wear the ring of her father. It seems only fitting that she wears the ring of your grandmother. I had it sized.”

I opened up the box and saw the sparkling light blue diamond of my grandmother’s ring. Bella wore the _ioti_ stone ring on her left hand and the simple white gold ring on her right. I wanted nothing more to have her wear this one. Forever. “Mom, I can’t believe you did this,” I murmured. “I thought that you were saving this for Elizabeth.”

“I always wanted you to have this. Elizabeth will get your Nana Cullen’s ring from your father,” Mom smiled, kissing my cheek. “Or rather, Charanel will get that ring to present to your sister.” She cupped my face, her eyes filling with tears. “You may be over a thousand light years away, living on Forx, but you will always be my baby boy. Now, enjoy your time with your mate at this reception I’ve prepared for you.”

“I love you, Mom,” I said, hugging her close. “Thank you for everything.” She let out a quiet sob before wriggling out of my arms. She kissed me before walking briskly to talk to a Bolian waiter who was setting out Turulian champagne at each table. I blinked a few times, watching as Mom busied herself with the reception. I wanted to talk to her more, but my father caught my arm.

“She’ll be fine. She’s finally realizing that you are not going to be here the day after tomorrow. You won’t be calling Earth home anymore,” Dad murmured. “People will be arriving in just a few moments. I’d like to get a holo of our new family.”

We gathered everyone and took several holos with different combinations of people. However, when Bella and I were photographed with Federation President Eleazar M’Tak, we were no longer just having our mating ceremony reception. It was now an official Federation diplomatic event. Once that was done, the rest of the guests were allowed into the hall. There was some quiet jazz music playing and we made a lot of small talk.

An hour after the reception started, we sat down to eat. I felt like I was on display. We were seated on a raised dais that was illuminated with soft, warm lights. Dinner was delicious. Or so I was told. I didn’t remember eating any of it. Once we were done eating our main course, we had go around to various tables to thank people for coming. Most of the people were admirals, members of the Federation Council, and various diplomats who lived in and around the Seattle area.

We ate some dessert and the dance floor opened up. Bella and I danced, swaying to the music. It was a magical moment, being able to celebrate our mating. When we had our ceremony on Forx, the threat of war was hovering over our heads. Now? We were rejoicing the end of the Alliance threat and finally able to move on.

The reception went well into the night. Bella and I laughed, danced, drank Turulian champagne, ate sweets and just had fun. Around two in the morning, the reception began breaking up. I took the opportunity to guide Bella away from party. “Come with me, _Fíorghrá,_ ” I whispered, threading my fingers with hers.

“Where are we going?” she asked, slipping off her heels.

“Someplace quiet. I want to talk to you,” I said, guiding her through the back of the reception hall to the elevator up to the top of the Space Needle. We reached the top of the Seattle icon. The air was cool, but it was welcomed since the reception got stuffy. Bella and I looked at Mount Rainier. I stood behind her, swaying slowly to the echo of the music still playing below. “We’re going to be leaving here the day after tomorrow. While I’m sad to go, I’m excited to embark on our next adventure as mates. Earth will always be where I’m from, but home is with you.”

“I agree. I would have been happy to call this home, but I’m honored that you want to live with me so far away from your family,” she murmured.

“You are also my family, Bella. However, my mother pointed out that I’m absorbing a lot of your culture, by wearing your father’s ring and living on Forx. She wanted my family represented,” I blushed. Pulling out of the box, I opened it and presented it to her. “This ring belonged to my grandmother. It has been in our family for generations. My mother wanted me to give it to you.” I took out the ring and placed it on her right hand. “Will you wear this ring?”

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she breathed, wiggling her fingers. “What is this stone? I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s a blue diamond. They’re very rare,” I explained, smiling softly as I ran my thumb over the ring that now adorned her finger. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” she said, throwing her arms around me. I buried my nose into her hair, holding her tiny body against mine. She pulled back, pressing her lips to mine. “I love you, Edward. _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ ”

“ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari,_ ” I replied, kissing her once again. “Now, let’s go back to my apartment and celebrate our mating ceremony in _our_ special way.”

“I like the way you think,” she giggled. I tapped my communicator and asked for a site to site transport. I didn’t want to waste any time with trivial things like walking. I needed to make love to my _Fíorghrá._ And we did.

Just as we were settling into slumber, my communicator beeped. I groaned, wanting to ignore it. It beeped again. I picked it up, activating it. “Cullen,” I grumped.

“Edward, I’m sorry to disturb you,” Dad said. “The Reman Ambassador contacted us about the peace treaty.”

“Uhmmmhmmm,” I answered sleepily, putting my head on Bella’s bare belly. Her fingers found their way into my hair, idly massaging my scalp.

“Stay awake, Edward. I know that you were up late last night,” Dad barked.

“I’m up,” I yawned. “What did the Reman Ambassador want?”

“He said that in order for there to be peace between the Alliance and the Federation, you have to negotiate treaty,” Dad snapped. “He sent us a set of coordinates and you have to be there in a week, Edward.”

“Where are these coordinates?” I asked, sitting up and covering my still bare mate.

“The planet Remus,” Dad replied. “With the _Cygnarus_ , it will take a week for you to get there. You need to depart immediately. I’m sorry.”

“Dad, do they sound serious about abiding by the proposed peace treaty or will they still pose a threat?” I asked, now fully awake. “We have to put this behind us.”

“I don’t know, Edward,” Dad answered.

_Worst. Possible. Answer._

**A/N: We have one final hurdle in the Reman/Alliance threat: the peace treaty. As Edward asked, are they serious about peace? We’ll find out in the next chapter.**

**Now, I’ve got a lot of pictures for this chapter. All of which are on my Star Crossed blog. The link for that is on my profile. Check it out. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. I’m also on twitter: tufano79.**

**We’ve got one real chapter left. That’s this upcoming chapter with the hopeful resolution of the Alliance threat. Not to mention, we have Elizabeth and Charanel’s mating ceremony and _El-lak D’nus._ *Waggles brows* For those of you who don’t remember what _El-lak D’nus_ is, it’s the Cygnarian blood fever, when a woman needs to mate. So, you know what _that_ means. **

**As always, please leave me some!**


	24. Chapter 24

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**We’ve got one real chapter left. That’s this upcoming chapter with the hopeful resolution of the Alliance threat. Not to mention, we have Elizabeth and Charanel’s mating ceremony and _El-lak D’nus._ *Waggles brows* For those of you who don’t remember what _El-lak D’nus_ is, it’s the Cygnarian blood fever, when a woman needs to mate. So, you know what _that_ means. **

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**EPOV**

Just as we were settling into slumber, my communicator beeped. I groaned, wanting to ignore it. It beeped again. I picked it up, activating it. “Cullen,” I grumped.

“Edward, I’m sorry to disturb you,” Dad said. “The Reman Ambassador contacted us about the peace treaty.”

“Uhmmmhmmm,” I answered sleepily, putting my head on Bella’s bare belly. Her fingers found their way into my hair, idly massaging my scalp.

“Stay awake, Edward. I know that you were up late last night,” Dad barked.

“I’m up,” I yawned. “What did the Reman Ambassador want?”

“He said that in order for there to be peace between the Alliance and the Federation, you have to negotiate treaty,” Dad snapped. “He sent us a set of coordinates and you have to be there in a week, Edward.”

“Where are these coordinates?” I asked, sitting up and covering my still bare mate.

“The planet Remus,” Dad replied. “With the _Cygnarus_ , it will take a week for you to get there. You need to depart immediately. I’m sorry.”

“Dad, do they sound serious about abiding by the proposed peace treaty or will they still pose a threat?” I asked, now fully awake. “We have to put this behind us.”

“I don’t know, Edward,” Dad answered.

_Worst. Possible. Answer._

BPOV

Edward ended his communication with his father, scrubbing his face. I rolled over, frowning at this unwelcomed turn of events. “This will never end, will it?” I muttered.

“Oh, it’s going to end. Perhaps, a face-to-face conversation with the Reman Ambassador will be our best ally,” Edward said, getting up and out of bed. He was gloriously naked. Despite our voracious need for each other, seeing him without any clothing and walking so comfortably in his apartment made me want him again. However, I put a lid on those desires. My mate was stressing out over this meeting and unrealistic time frame to get to said meeting with the Reman Ambassador. When he came back, he dressed in his Imperial attire. “We need to go, _Fíorghrá._ I’m sorry. I know we were supposed to have dinner with Elizabeth and Charanel today, but in order to get to the planet, Remus, we have to depart now.”

I got up out of the bed, walking over to my frazzled mate. “We will get through this, _ti’ane,_ ” I soothed, running my fingers through his disheveled hair. “Compared to the long-standing war and ending battle, a conversation is nothing.”

“It is not as physically taxing, but mentally and emotionally? It’s far worse,” Edward said. “Trying to reach and accommodate both sides is the struggle. My father said that he would send up his conversation with the Reman Ambassador, along with any intel Galaxy Fleet Intelligence had acquired from any previous interactions. You go shower and get dressed while I have our belongings transported aboard the _Cygnarus._ ”

“Edward,” I murmured, taking his handsome face into my hands, “we will get past this. I have to no doubts in your abilities as a diplomat or as emperor.”

“Thank you, Bella,” he whispered, brushing his lips with mine. “I wish I had an ounce of your confidence in me to complete this. I was just waiting for the other shoe to fall and this is it, I guess.”

“Both of your shoes are on your feet, Edward,” I said, confused by his statement. Some of the human comments he made confused me. His way of speaking was colorful and used a lot of comparison, most of which I didn’t understand since it was a cultural thing.

He chuckled, pulling my naked body closer to his. “It’s a metaphor. Pretty much, I was anxious that something bad was going to happen and it did, with these negotiations with the Remans and Alliance.” His hands moved to my behind, cupping the curve of my butt. “You need to get dressed before I tell the Remans to go stuff it; that the peace talks are off because I need you so much. You are entirely too tempting standing here, naked in my arms.” He massaged my behind and his fingers dipped between my lower lips. “And wet, too? Nirabelle …” He removed his hands from my lower body, gliding them up to my shoulders. He gently pushed me into the bathroom. With a shattered look, he closed the door. _You better be dressed by the time I’m done with the bags, Nirabelle._

 _Yes, Emperor,_ I purred, giggling quietly. He groaned. I went about showering and needless to say, my exhaustion was apparent. We’d gotten less than an hour’s worth of sleep before Carlisle contacted Edward regarding the Reman Ambassador. We had made love almost the entire night once we got back from the reception and our private moment atop the Seattle Space Needle. Plus, not being next to him the night previous because Esme and Elizabeth’s insistence of ‘girly’ time caused me to sleep fitfully. I missed having my strong, muscular, _warm_ mate curled around me.

Finishing my sonic shower – I won’t miss those – I got dressed in one of my more casual dresses, braiding my hair and letting it fall loosely over my shoulder. I put on my usual circlet and jewelry, including the exquisite ring that Edward presented to me in the early morning hours overlooking Seattle. I wriggled my fingers, smiling happily at seeing it twinkle in the sunlight. No gemstone on Forx or Cygnaria Prime looked this way. I felt like I had a magic, crystal ball on my finger. I shook my head, putting my toiletries away since we needed to leave. I couldn’t spend all day staring at my ring, tempting as it may be.

Leaving the bathroom, I tossed my toiletry bag into my dark blue luggage. Edward was speaking with his father on his computer. From the tone of his voice, he sounded worried. He walked back into the living room. “Are you ready to go, Bella?” he asked, his posture defeated.

“I’m anxious to get back to Forx, but I’m worried about you,” I frowned, cupping his face. _Talk to me,_ ti’ane.

“Once we’re on board the _Cygnarus,_ ” Edward said, dipping his head to kiss me. He picked up my bag, slinging it over his shoulder. “Cullen to Priesste.”

“Priesste here,” came the commander aboard the _Cygnarus_.

“Two to transport,” he replied. “And once we’re on board, break orbit and head for the coordinates I transmitted to you. The Empress and I are going to our quarters.”

“Understood, sir,” Commander Priesste replied. “Energizing.”

We shimmered onto the transporter room aboard the _Cygnarus._ Maralice was waiting for us, along with J’ran. “What are you two doing here?” Edward asked. “I thought you both decided to stay here, on Earth or aboard the _Volvo_.”

“You need your envoys. Jasper and the _Volvo_ will be accompanying you to Reman space and he’ll take us back to Earth once we’re done with the negotiations. Admiral Cullen requested that the _Volvo_ act as the Federation representatives,” Maralice smirked. “Now, you two look exhausted. Go get some sleep and we can all meet to discuss strategy on how to get the Alliance to sign the peace treaty.”

“My father contacted you?” Edward questioned.

“He did, Edward,” J’ran nodded. “You’re not alone on this. Now, go sleep. I’ll go onto the bridge, taking command of the _Cygnarus_ while you and Nirabelle rest.”

“Thank you,” Edward breathed. He shook J’ran’s hand and hugged Maralice, much to her surprise. I hugged them both before Edward took me to our quarters. We stumbled inside and fell into bed. The hum of the jump drive lulling us to sleep. I think we were asleep before we reached the edge of the Terran System.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

We woke up disoriented and confused and for Edward, starving. We ate our meal in our quarters before going into the conference room just off the bridge to meet with J’ran, and Maralice. Edward discussed the information he received from his father. It seemed that the Reman Ambassador, who was also Legate Vruk’s father, was not too keen on signing a peace treaty with the Federation or with the Cygnarians. The legate who had made the preliminary decision to sign a peace treaty was in the battle, anxious to get out of there since they were getting pummeled.

Upon the legate’s return, Ambassador Vraan was ready to fly back to Cygnari territory and finish what his son had started. However, that was after he had found out that his one and only son was killed in the crumbling Imperial Palace by a supposedly weak and fragile empress. His legacy was now gone, with no hopes of another. Edward was confident that we’d be able to persuade Ambassador Vraan to sign the treaty, perhaps negotiate a trade agreement. We have what they need for their ships to run smoothly. If we provided them with that, we would maintain our peace treaty.

I prayed that Ambassador Vraan would agree to it.

I did kill his son and I don’t think he would be too amenable to such an idea, especially coming from the person who brutally sliced and diced his own child.

“Perhaps, I should not attend,” I mumbled, twisting my ring.

“Bella, you have to be there,” Edward frowned, pushing the list of stipulations toward me. The very first stipulation was that both Edward and I attend. I made a face. “I know that you are uneasy regarding attending, but both of us need to negotiate the treaty. Ambassador Vraan will take it as a personal insult if we don’t both show up.”

“From what I’ve read, Ambassador Vraan disagreed with everything that his son did with the Alliance. He felt like he was manipulating the Alphans, intentionally killing them and using them as cannon fodder. He hated what happened, but he is pushing these negotiations because it’s the _Reman_ thing to do,” Maralice explained. “They don’t want to concede to anything. It’s against the Reman’s nature.”

“So, our best bet is to make this peace treaty mutually beneficial,” Edward said. “That’s our strategy. I would also probably apologize, too. Yes, they invaded our territory …”

“No. No apologies,” I spat. “They _invaded_. They used their cloaked ships to attack and kill innocent Cygnarians; to kill my father. If anything, they should apologize to us.”

Edward nodded, taking my hand in his and kissing my knuckles. “As a people, they should apologize for the atrocities that befell Forx and the Cygnarian people. However, on a personal level, we should extend our condolences for the death of his son. It will, in theory, soften him up. If we acknowledge Vruk’s death and our part in that death, he might be more open in ending the hostilities between our planets.” _You have to trust me, Nirabelle._

 _I know,_ I sighed. He flipped my hand over, kissing my pulse point. We spent the next few hours coming up with a more specific strategy. Once we had something we were all on board with, Edward hailed Jasper and they discussed the strategy. It was agreed upon and all we had to do was arrive at planet Remus, which was six days away at maximum velocity.

The six days dragged by but we finally arrived at the Reman home world. Edward contacted Ambassador Vraan and we were currently waiting for his response. Almost eight hours after we contacted Ambassador Vraan, his assistant, a weasely-looking man named Vu’un responded to our hail. “You are late,” he barked, his voice high and nasally.

“We left as soon as we received Ambassador Vraan’s communiqué,” Edward replied. “We were in orbit of Earth and we pushed our engines to get here in time, Vu’un.”

“Very well. Transport down to these coordinates in an hour. Ambassador Vraan will meet with you then,” Vu’un spat, ending the transmission.

“Pleasant fellow,” Jasper snorted from his spot at tactical.

“He hates his job and abhors his boss,” Rose muttered, leaning against the bulkhead by the turbolift. “Vraan treats that man like he’s the scum of the galaxy.”

“Emperor, we’ve received the coordinates. Shall we run scans to ensure your safety?” Commander Priesste asked.

“Yes, please,” Edward nodded. “Bella, we should change. I don’t want you to go down there unarmed.” _I’d rather err on the side of caution. You know?_ I nodded and followed my mate into our quarters. I put on a pair of tight pants with hidden blades in the boots around my ankles. I wore a long dress to cover the hidden weaponry and a cloak since it was cold on the planet’s surface. Edward was wearing his grey cargo pants with a long navy blue jacket. I knew underneath that jacket was his blade, just in case.

Maralice and J’ran joined us in the transporter room, as did Rose and Jasper. They were acting as representatives for the Federation. With a curt nod, we were transported to the surface. The first thing I noticed was how cold it was. It reminded me of the Reman vessel. I shuddered, wanting to get closer to my mate. The second thing I noticed was how dark it was. My eyes strained and I had sharper vision than most. I knew that to Edward and the other humans, it would appear to be nearly black, with shadows moving in the distance. The final thing was the smell. That was the most prominent memory from my time on the Reman vessel. It was a combination of musty, sweet, sour and old. I bit back vomit, afraid that I’d lose it if I opened my mouth.

“Lights, one half,” commanded a deep resonant voice. The sconces on the wall and the lamps above us brightened. It was still dim, but more well-lit than before. An older Reman walked out. He was dressed in a long cloak. His yellow eyes were tired and his face was haggard. He looked at both me and Edward, his lips pursed. “I expected you to be taller, Emperor. From the descriptions of your prowess on the battle field, I almost thought you’d be ten meters tall.” His eyes turned to me. “And you’re just a child.”

I bristled at that.

 _Don’t let him rattle you. He’s just trying to get a rise,_ Edward chided. “Ambassador, thank you for meeting with us,” Edward said smoothly. “I certainly hoped that it could have been on better circumstances.”

“I agree, Emperor,” Vraan spat. “I do apologize for the lighting. We live on the dark side of the planet since the light side is too hot to be habitable. The lights hurt our eyes.”

“This is fine, Ambassador. We will adapt,” Edward said, giving him a slight nod. “Let me introduce to you the delegation from both Forx and the Federation. This is my mate, Empress Nirabelle, along with our envoys, Maralice and J’ran. Representing the Federation, we have Captain Jasper Whitlock and Dr. Rosalie Halé.”

“A pleasure,” Vraan sneered, his voice filled with derision.

“Ambassador, I can tell that you are not particularly keen on us being here. I know that you are a man in grief, having lost your only son. However, this peace treaty can be mutually beneficial to both parties, if you only let it happen. I’m here, as a representative of the Cygnarian people and as a delegate for the Federation. You and your Alliance have willfully waged war against us. As you are well aware, you will lose if you continue to engage with our ships. We know how to track your cloaked vessels. We know your weaknesses. Galaxy Fleet Intelligence is pouring over the intel we provided about the elusive Reman Empire,” Edward said, his voice cold and calculating.

Vraan glared at my mate, his hands in rigid claws. Huffing out a breath, he walked, with a noticeable limp, to a chair and sat down heavily. It was then that I saw a broken, lost man, not an adversary. He was grieving for his son and this was how he was dealing with it; by lashing out and attacking those responsible, when in all reality, it was Vruk’s fault. “What are your concessions, Emperor?” Vraan asked, looking up at us.

My mate handed him a tablet with our requests. Vraan nodded. “These all seem fair. However, there is one more I’d like to add. It will have to be done by the Federation since I know relations between the Alphans and the Cygnarians are nonexistent.”

“What’s that?” Edward asked.

“It was because of our involvement that the Alphans are dying. We pushed them too far, too fast. With the Federation’s help, we need to relocate the remaining Alphans and treat them for their radiation poisoning,” Vraan muttered. “We’ve offered to help the Alphans, but they refused any aide from us. The new leaders abhor us.”

“Do you blame them?” I growled.

“No, Empress, I don’t,” Vraan sighed. “Will the Federation help the Alphans relocate and treat their illness?”

“We can,” Jasper answered. “I’m certain that we can find a suitable home for them and with the help of my colleague, Dr. Halé, we can treat their radiation sickness.”

Vraan nodded, pressing his thumb to the tablet and signing the treaty. He handed the tablet to my mate before standing and turning to me. “Empress, I know that you lost a great deal during this whole ordeal. Your father, too many Cygnarians and most of all, your innocence.” He hesitantly reached for me. I took a step back, afraid of his claws. They were long, black and snarled. “Do not fear me, Empress. I am but an old man who is grieving for his son and trying to put his world back together.”

I nodded, stepping closer to him. I took his hand. It was freezing cold and leathery feeling. “I’m sorry for the loss of your son,” I murmured.

“Thank you,” Vraan whispered. “I know that he died at your hand, but he lost his path. I pray that he has found his way in death. I am sorry for all that we did. I hope that, in time, we can possibly forgive each other and build a relationship.”

I nodded, squeezing his fingers. “In time, perhaps we will.” I released his hand, pressing my palms to my forehead and giving him the gesture of sorrow. “I bid you peace, Ambassador Vraan.”

“I wish you a long and happy life, Empress Nirabelle,” he replied. He clumsily returned the gesture and left us in the open room.

Edward handed the tablet to Jasper. “Thank you for your assistance, Captain,” he smiled. “We look forward to seeing you again, soon.”

“We wish you the best, Emperor,” Jasper murmured, knowing that we were going our separate ways.

“Thank you. We’re looking forward to going home,” Edward breathed, pulling me to his side. I kissed his lips, tapping his communicator. “Cullen to Priesste, two to transport to the _Cygnarus_. Once we’re aboard, set course for Forx, jump factor seven.”

“We’re going home,” I said.

“We’re going home,” he repeated. “Energize.”

xx STAR CROSSED xx

One Year Later

“Empress, the _Volvo_ is approaching Cygnari space,” said my new envoy, Jerasse. “Your brother is hailing from the bridge, requesting to speak with you.”

“Send it to my personal computer in my quarters,” I replied, getting up from my desk. Jerasse nodded, walking out of my office. I walked to my quarters, pressing a button and my brother’s face filled the screen. “Charanel, you are looking more and more like father every day.”

His face was more chiseled and his shoulders broad. What shocked me was how bright his eyes were. They were inquisitive, sharp and glittering. “Thank you, Sissy. You look so happy, too,” Charanel responded, his voice deeper and sounding so much more mature. “Though, I’m looking forward to coming home. Elizabeth and I are anxious to celebrate our mating.”

“How are you?” I asked. “How is Elizabeth?”

“I’m fine, but I think the distance and prolonging our ceremony is more harmful to Elizabeth,” Charanel explained. “She’s tired all of the time and she’s lost weight. She feels better when we are close to each other, but once I leave, she …”

“The preparations are well underway. Once you arrive, we will begin everything for your ceremony, Charanel. Do you think you can handle yourself with Elizabeth? I mean, if you sleep with her …”

“Mate?” Charanel barked, his eyes widening.

“No. Sleep. As in, dreaming,” I giggled. “Skin-to-skin contact helps. Whenever Edward and I feel disconnected, we feel better if we sleep together without clothing, even if we don’t mate.”

“I think I can,” Charanel nodded. “We’ve got another two days before we arrive. I’ll suggest that we sleep together tonight. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. How’s the academy?”

“It’s challenging, but I love it,” Charanel smiled. “I’m at the top of my class and preparing for the third year. Once Elizabeth and I finish our mating ceremony and honeymoon, we’re going to Turul so I can begin my internship aboard the flagship, _Enterprise_. I’ll spend a semester working in the various departments aboard the _Enterprise._ Elizabeth is going to work on ship as a visiting civilian scientist. Captain Picard is anxious to have her on board since her field of study is anthropology, archeology and linguistics.”

“That sounds interesting,” I beamed. “I’m happy that you got the internship. I know that you were anxious about getting that. I just can’t wait to see you. I’ve missed you. The palace is not the same without you roaming and running in the halls.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” he breathed. “This year has been challenging, exhilarating, and amazing, but I miss seeing you every day. I missed playing _giju’ri_ with D’Metri. I missed hearing Maralice’s stories. My time when I was _yanhesh_ was so simple. I had no responsibilities, but I wasn’t living life. You know?”

“But, would you go back to that?” I pressed.

“Never in a million years,” he answered. “Look, I just wanted to let you know that we’re on our way and will be there in a couple of days. I love you, Sissy.”

“I love you, too. Send my love to Elizabeth and her parents,” I murmured.

“I will,” Charanel replied. He pressed his fist to his chest before turning off the computer. When he hung up, I felt my face flush. I waved my hand in front of my face. I sat back on the chair, trying to cool off and to calm my heart. _What is wrong with me?_ I thought.

 _Is everything alright, Bella? I can feel your anxiety from here,_ Edward thought to me from his meeting with the Assembly of Nobles. _And lust! What is going on?_

 _Lust?_ I whimpered mentally. I picked up the calendar on my desk, seeing that my contraceptive injection was no longer effective. I was experiencing the beginning symptoms of _El-lak D’Nus._ I knew that I had a couple of days before the full effect of would claim me. I prayed that I could keep it together until Charanel’s mating ceremony. As I sat staring at my calendar, Edward strode into our new quarters, crouching down in front of me. His green eyes swirling with concern. “Edward, it’s starting.” I handed him the calendar. He looked down at it, cupping my face.

“I know, Bella. I could feel your excitement, anxiety, lust, desire … It’s emotional overload for me,” he whispered, taking my hands into his. “What does it mean? I know you told me before but …”

“I don’t know, honestly. I only went through _El-lak D’Nus_ once Kunnan put me on the contraceptive shot stopping it,” I said. “If a woman goes through the fever when she’s not mated, she’s put into seclusion until it’s over. I felt the fever and the other effects, being sent down to our summer home in _Ch’ich_ with Maralice as my only contact. When a woman is mated, the feelings are _intense_.”

“Can you have Kunnan give you something to hold off the fever? Your brother’s mating ceremony is happening in five days,” Edward whispered.

“The only thing that Kunnan can give me is the contraceptive shot which is good for a year,” I frowned. “I don’t want to take the shot since I want to start a family with you.”

“Bella, I want that more than anything,” he breathed, taking my face into his hands. I whimpered, needing to feel him. He let me go, blushing and twisting his hands. “We’ll need to curtail our contact until after Charanel has his mating ceremony.” I nodded, taking a deep breath. “I think I know why your parents had separate quarters.”

“I still need to sleep with you,” I murmured, pleading with him.

“Okay, _Fíorghrá_ ,” he said.

We spent the next two days finalizing the details for Charanel’s mating ceremony. The distraction of preparing for Charanel’s mating ceremony helped me not to focus on the mounting desire I had building inside of me. When my brother arrived, I managed to keep it together, but it was getting more difficult. I sobbed like a baby when I saw him. He had grown. He was always big, but now he was chiseled and muscled. However, I was more concerned about Elizabeth. She was pale and sickly looking. After seeing how this was affecting her, we made the decision to move up Charanel’s ceremony. We were nearly ready to go ahead anyway.

The morning of the mating ceremony, I helped Elizabeth get dressed. I was dressed in a deep, navy blue gown. I prepared Elizabeth’s skin and put on her makeup. Jerasse and Laurien weaved flowers into her blonde hair. Once her hair was done, I asked Jerasse and Laurien to leave. I dressed Elizabeth in an iridescent green to purple dress. She wasn’t a part of the royal family yet and could not wear the royal color of blue. Once she bonded with my brother, she would be considered my sister fully, able to wear the royal color.

“Once I’m mated with Charanel, I’ll feel better?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yes. When you kiss, the bond will begin to form. It will fully connect when you make love for the first time,” I said, taking her hand.

“Your brother said something about a fever in order to have children,” she said. “What is that?”

“It’s called _El-lak D’Nus,_ ” I choked out. My spots sizzled and my own desire crested. I needed my mate, but with my strength, I managed to calm down to explain to her about the mating fever. “Cygnari women go through this mating fever four times a year. It’s the only time we are capable of getting pregnant.” I flushed and bit back another wave of desire, wanton need for my mate.

“And you’re going through it,” Elizabeth said, plucking a piece of hair off my cheek. “You just want to fuck the brains out of my brother, hmmmm?”

“To put it mildly,” I snorted. “Who knows? You may be an aunt by the time you come back from your honeymoon.”

“I hope so,” Elizabeth replied, hugging me tightly. I rubbed her back. “Question, though. Do men go through the mating fever?”

“They’re mating fever is triggered by the women. However, I know that human females go through something called menstruation. You probably won’t endure the mating fever like I will.”

“Will I be able to get pregnant?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“You will. Didyme’s mother was human,” I explained. “Now, let’s get you mated to my brother.” _The sooner the better_ , I thought to Edward.

 _Amen to that,_ he laughed.

“He’s so anxious to be with me. So am I,” she beamed, getting up and looking a bit healthier. I got up with her and picked up a circlet that my mother had worn for her mating ceremony. My father had told me, before he had died, that when Charanel would have his ceremony, that his imprint should wear this. I weaved it into her hair and handed her a bouquet of _kinka_ flowers. We walked out into the throne room, meeting Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle was dressed in his dress uniform while Esme wore a similar dress to mine, but in a deep emerald color.

We walked out to the same location where we had our mating ceremony. The Assembly of Nobles, Edward’s family, and the highest dignitaries from the Federation were all seated in the small forest outside of the palace. However, unlike our mating ceremony, it was being held in a rebuilt sanctuary. It was a place that the Cygnarian people to sit and remember all who were lost during the Alphan conflict. The memorial on the cliffs of the Renien Ocean was for those who died in the Alliance battle.

Edward and I walked down the aisle first since we were acting as the witnesses for Charanel and Elizabeth. My mate looked incredibly handsome in his navy blue jacket and dove grey pants, wearing a blue sash across his chest with an _ioti_ stone pin at his hip. Charanel looked exactly like my father, wearing a lighter blue jacket and purple sash. The love he had for Elizabeth was radiating through his whole body. His spots were glowing a warm white, making him glimmer in the sunlight. When he saw Elizabeth, he smiled happily and it took Edward’s hand on his shoulder to stop him from running down the aisle to greet his mate. When she reached the front of the sanctuary, stepping onto the raised dais, Elizabeth also seemed to shimmer. There were tears running down her cheeks. Their hands touched and Marcusi began the ceremony.

I caught Edward’s eyes and the memories of our mating ceremony swirled in my mind. What I forgot, he remembered and I found myself losing it, desperately needing my mate.

 _Soon,_ Fíorghrá, he thought to me. _I know that you are …_

 _Tonight, we will …_ I said, wishing I could touch him. _But for now, we need to focus on Charanel and Elizabeth._

I blinked a few times, looking back at Charanel and Elizabeth. Marcusi was finishing the ceremony. It was getting close to where they would seal their union with a _senelle_. Marcusi bound their hands and he had them repeat the words, forever intertwining their souls together. Charanel moved closer and his eyes glazed over. With a quiet confidence, Charanel murmured, “ _Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari._ ”

Elizabeth let out a sob, repeating the phrase. However, it was clumsy in her mouth. She had not mastered the Cygnari language as well as my mate. Though, once she uttered that phrase, Marcusi proclaimed them as forever bound. Charanel dipped his head, brushing his lips against Elizabeth’s. She gasped, shuddering with the beginning of their imprinting bond. My brother’s spots brightened as he deepened the kiss, holding her close to his body. Marcusi had to clear his throat, finally forcing them apart. Marcusi pronounced them eternal mates and they strode down the aisle to a small tent at the entrance of the forest. We followed them, but gave them the privacy they needed to make out, as Edward called it.

I loved making out, honestly and I couldn’t wait to do it with my mate, among other things. I looked slyly at my mate, licking my lips enticingly.

 _Nirabelle,_ Edward warned, his hand threading through mine. He kissed me, nipping at my lips. _Behave yourself._

 _I’m trying,_ I giggled, wrapping my arms around his slender torso. He pulled away, pressing his forehead to mine, taking a few calming breaths.

We gave them ten minutes before guiding them out to the sanctuary for the official holographs. From the brief time that Charanel and Elizabeth spent in the tent, I could see her grow stronger. Her blonde hair glimmered and her cheeks were flushed. The bond was joining them, healing her and making them both more resilient and stronger. While their bond solidified, my need to _mate_ with Edward was becoming almost obsessive. I was losing my control, desperate for him to fuck me.

 _Shit, Bella. Stop. I don’t want to have my erection forever immortalized in these holographs. I know that you are barely hanging on by a thread, but another few hours and then I’ll take you to_ Ch’ich _. We will …_ Edward trailed off, his eyes darkening. I gulped and nodded, smiling carnally, anxious to transport down to _Ch’ich._  Clothing was definitely optional while we were down there. _BELLA!_

 _Sorry,_ I giggled.

 _Now, I know why you were put on the contraceptive shot. You have the attention span of a gnat and all you are thinking about is sex,_ Edward snickered, his hand tightening around my waist. He pressed a soft kiss to my temple. “And once I get you alone, I will fuck you, Nirabelle.”

“Hmmm, I can’t wait,” I purred in reply.

Once the holographs were finished, we went to the outdoor reception on the grounds of the rebuilt palace. Edward and I wanted the people of the Imperial City to feel like this was their home and not a shrine to be worshipped. The palace was always open for anyone, with beautiful gardens, ponds, sculpture and music. There were a few locations that were always protected by force fields, but the palace was no longer just a show place for us. It was a show place for everyone. In fact, the reception for Charanel and Elizabeth’s mating ceremony was open to anyone. We had so many tables set up and more food than we knew what to do with, but I wanted to give my brother this special day.

The reception was a combination of a Cygnarian mating ceremony and a human celebration called a wedding. It was similar to our reception, but there would be more dancing and some Cygnarian customs. Charanel was adamant on having _nari_ cakes at his reception. Despite his developmental delay being corrected, my brother still had a sweet tooth. It was his one vice. From my conversations with Elizabeth and Esme, he would always partake in eating as much dessert in the dorm cafeteria, tasting all of the unique treats the chef had to offer.

Just after nightfall, Charanel and Elizabeth took a hover car to _Por’tange’les_ to begin their honeymoon. Edward and I stayed until the last of the guests went back to their quarters, homes or rental properties in the Imperial City. Marcusi walked over to us, his eyes filled with concern. “You have fulfilled your duties, Emperor and Empress,” he said. “You both need to go. Senator J’ran and Maralice will see to the rest of the cleaning up.”

“How bad?” Edward asked, his arms sliding around my waist. His lips found my shoulder and he held me tightly. My constant lust was now rubbing off on him. I could feel his arousal pressed between my butt cheeks.

“It’s not bad, but the lust that is rolling off you is palpable,” Marcusi laughed. “I think that Rosalie and Emmett left immediately after the dinner because of your …” He waggled his brows. “Go. There’s a waiting shuttle craft to fly you down to _Ch’ich_. Jerasse has prepared your luggage.”

“Thank you, Marcusi,” I smiled, hugging him. Edward shook his hand and I dragged him to the landing pad. The shuttle craft was prepped and ready to go. There was a pilot waiting for us, but Edward dismissed him. He worked quickly through the pre-flight sequences before we took off. It took all of my control to not climb into his lap and _mate_ with him as we flew over the clouds toward the seaside city of _Ch’ich_.

 _Behave, Bella. We’ll be in there in an hour,_ Edward thought to me, his mental voice sounding strained. I nodded, walking to the aft section to change out of my dress into something more revealing. I stayed in the back of the shuttle craft so I wouldn’t tempt him. Heavens know that my outfit was _tempting._ My entire body was on display, covered by black, sheer fabric. I could feel how wet I was. It coated the tops of my thighs. Edward was not going to know what hit him once he landed the shuttle craft outside of our home on _Ch’ich._

The shuttle shuddered as Edward began his descent. I sat down, taking a few deep breaths before I allowed my body to succumb to _El-lak D’Nus._ I didn’t need to keep it together for Charanel’s mating ceremony or anything else. For the next seven days, Edward and I could do nothing but mate. Hopefully, with all of our mating, we’ll produce a child.

A perfect combination of the two of us.

The shuttle shut down and I knew that we were here. Edward walked to the back, his eyes bugging out when he saw what I was wearing. I shed the regal façade, letting the predator out. My spots sizzled a brilliant violet and my arousal spilled out of me. Edward’s eyes darkened and he tore at his clothes. Within mere seconds, he was naked and I was pinned against the bulkhead of the shuttle. “Fuck, Bella. I need you. I have to be inside of you,” he growled, tearing the sheer fabric from my body.

“Yes, fuck me,” I commanded, rolling my hips over his hardness. He pressed me back and grasped his hardness, coating his erection with my abundant arousal. He looked up at me, his eyes swirling with desire. With a snarl, he slammed his cock inside me, filling me to the brink. “OH, GODS ABOVE!”

“They’re not here, Nirabelle. Only me,” he grunted, thrusting deeply in me and making my entire body quake. I scratched my nails down his back. My spots sizzled, glimmering a deep maroon. Edward was staring into my eyes, his irises reacting to our coupling. They were glowing a brilliant green. “Bella, you feel so good. So fucking wet. You’re never this wet.”

 _It’s the El-lak D’Nus. More lubrication increases the likelihood that we make a baby,_ I thought to him, my muscles clenching around him. “I want that more than anything, Edward.”

“I want to feel you all over me,” he hissed. “I want to give you a baby, love.” I whimpered, biting my lip as my orgasm was building. I reached my fingers between us, swirling them around my bundle of nerves. It intensified what I was feeling by tenfold. Waves of pleasure began to crash all around me. My spots were pulsating with each beat of my heart. And with each heartbeat, my ecstasy increased and I lost all control. Edward screamed, filling me with his release. I clamped my legs around his waist. With another forceful grunt, Edward’s legs collapsed and we fell onto the floor of the shuttle craft. I pressed my ear to his chest, listening to his frantically beating heart. “Computer, two to transport to the bedroom.” I snorted. “I can’t move even if I tried, Nirabelle.” My snorts turned into full-fledged giggles. “Energize.”

We rematerialized in the bedroom, on the bed. Edward wrapped his arms around me, rolling me onto my back. His manhood had hardened during the transport. His eyes were animalistic, carnal and desperate as he stared into mine. My guess it was a mirror of my own expression. His mouth descended onto mine while he slammed his hardness deep within me.

The next seven days were spent without clothing and fucking each other until we were too exhausted to function, only to repeat the process the next day. On the morning of the eighth day, I woke up, feeling more like myself. Not the sex-crazed maniac of a female in the throes of _El-lak D’Nus._ I got up, padding to the bathroom. I was so sore. Every muscle in my body was in agony. The endorphins and hormones that were pumping through my body during the mating fever had masked the pain I was experiencing. I was washing my face when I heard Edward limp into the bathroom.

“I think I’m going to die,” he groaned, turning on the faucet of the bathtub. “Why didn’t we feel this all this week?”

“Because we were in an endorphin-induced fog,” I snickered, looking back at him. It was refreshing to see him naked and not want to mount him. I loved Edward with my whole heart, but I think it will be awhile before we feel the need to physically show each other that love. He clambered into the tub, sighing contentedly. I grabbed a few towels, following him. He pulled me onto his lap, tucking me against his side. “The water feels so good.”

“I can only imagine how you’re feeling,” he said, his fingers running along the tops of my thighs. “I wasn’t exactly gentle.”

“I’m hurting, too, but perhaps all of the …” I trailed off, blushing.  

“Oh, so you can only use curse words when you’re in the mating fever?” he teased.

“I suppose so,” I giggled. “I hope that with all that we did, there’s a baby inside of my womb.” He smiled tenderly, pressing his large hand over my flat belly. _I want that more than anything, Edward._

 _Me, too,_ he sighed, kissing me gently. “However, we do need to head back to the Imperial City. After you got up, Jerasse contacted me regarding Maralice’s mating ceremony to Jasper. It will be happening in a week. Something quiet for the two of them before they take Charanel and Elizabeth to the _Enterprise_. Plus, we both have to fly to the desert city of _Fl’aag_ to discuss their proposal of a hydroponic garden beneath the surface.”

“Back to reality,” I frowned.

“Unfortunately,” he murmured. “Let’s enjoy the final few hours here before we have to get back to the responsibilities of being Emperor and Empress of Forx.” I nodded. We spent an hour in the tub, letting the warm water soothe our aching muscles. After that, we eat a huge breakfast before packing up the shuttle – not that we had a lot of stuff inside of the house. Most of our luggage had remained aboard the ship since we were naked about ninety-five percent of the time we were in _Ch’ich._

By late afternoon, we were back in the Imperial City. Edward was called away to discuss something with Jasper regarding the Federation while I worked with Maralice for their finishing touches for their mating ceremony. Then, after that, we were heading to a meeting with the governor of _Fl’aag_ for their proposal for the hydroponic garden. I wrinkled my nose at all that was waiting for us.

_Back to reality, indeed._

xx STAR CROSSED xx

“And this is the location we want to use for the desalinization units,” droned on the chief engineer of the hydroponic garden. “Ideally, we want to have twenty units, but the cost may be prohibitive.”

“We’ve read your proposal,” Edward said. “The cost is not an issue. You can get your desalinization units. We think that this idea is amazing.”

“I just wanted to make sure that you understand, Emperor,” the engineer said, his eyes wide.

“We understand,” I snapped. “The proposal you sent was quite detailed.”

“I’m sorry, Empress,” the engineer muttered.

“We’ve given Governor Ru’bia the go ahead for this project. We look forward to seeing the finished product once it’s completed,” Edward smiled, taking my hand. “Now, I’m going to take Empress Nirabelle back to the surface to get some rest. It’s been a long journey to _Fl’aag_.”

“Thank you, your majesty. We will begin immediately,” the engineer smiled, darting out of the underground caves.

Once he was out of the caves, Edward looked at me. “What’s wrong? You’ve been very short and terse for the past few days,” he asked, cupping my cheek.

“I don’t know. I’m tired all of the time and I do not want to be _here_ ,” I snarled, plucking at my light-weight dress. “It’s too hot.”

“Come on, Bella,” he said. “Let’s go back to the transporter. Once we get you into the governor’s mansion, you’ll feel better.” I huffed, following my mate to the transporter pad. He nodded to the junior engineer manning the station. We shimmered back to Governor Ru’bia’s mansion, where we were staying for the duration of our visit to _Fl’aag_.

It had been two months since Charanel and Maralice’s mating ceremonies. Charanel and Elizabeth left with Jasper and Maralice aboard the _Volvo_ to rendezvous with the _Enterprise._ Both couples were amazingly happy and doing well. Edward and I, we were working headlong in a bunch of tiny projects on Forx, including the hydroponic gardens in _Fl’aag_ , making decisions on a where the Federation Embassy was to be located in the Imperial City and working with the Assembly of Nobles regarding various matters of state.

My brother and his mate were doing well aboard the _Enterprise_. He was loving his time there, but was struggling with his need to work and his insatiable desire to be with Elizabeth. Edward spoke to him about balancing his job and being with his sister, but it would take time. Edward and I were mated for over a year and we still had moments where we wanted to just jump each other’s bones, as Edward described. Then, Edward told Charanel about the wonders of the ‘quickie.’ I giggled as my mate explained it to my brother. I knew once we got off the comm with my brother, he would experiment with this newfound knowledge. Elizabeth wouldn’t know what hit her.

Jasper and Maralice were enjoying their own honeymoon on the pleasure planet, Risa. Jasper had a great deal of time off and they were happily relishing in their new mating bond while the _Volvo_ was getting a new jump drive with a new and improved dilithium chamber.

“Bella, why don’t you take a nap? I’ll meet with Governor Ru’bia regarding the final plans for the hydroponic garden,” Edward said, guiding me to the bedroom. “Perhaps, we can cut our trip short so we can get to the bottom of your short temper and exhaustion.”

“That might be a good idea,” I said, kissing his lips. “Good luck with Governor Ru’bia. He can be a bit much.”

“He reminds me of one of my professors from the academy,” Edward replied, helping me onto the bed. He took off my shoes and lowered the lights. “Ru’bia will be fine.” He kissed my lips. “I love you and we’ll be home soon.” I nodded and drifted off before he even left.

I must have slept through Edward’s return. When I woke up, it was morning and Edward was walking over to me with a tray of breakfast foods. “I’m sorry, Edward. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was.”

“Don’t be. You obviously needed it, but your stomach was snarling. It woke me up,” he snickered, putting the tray over my legs. “We’re leaving _Fl’aag_ after a brief meeting with Governor Ru’bia and the engineering crew for the hydroponic gardens. We have to take a few holos before we depart.”

“Okay,” I smiled, nibbling on my breakfast. After I finished my breakfast, we showered and got dressed for the photo ops. A few hours later, we were back in the air, flying back to the Imperial City. Once we landed, Kunnan was waiting for us. “What’s this?” I asked my mate.

“There is something more going on besides exhaustion, Bella,” Edward smirked. “Kunnan, thank you for meeting us.”

“Of course, Emperor,” Kunnan said, bowing in greeting. “Come with me. We’ll run a few tests.” We walked to the examination room in the Imperial Palace. It was a state-of-the-art facility. Kunnan started by taking my blood. Then, he scanned my body with his tricorder. He smiled, humming quietly. “Empress, I need you to change into a gown. I have to run some more in-depth scans.”

“Is everything alright?” Edward asked.

“Everything is fine,” Kunnan said, handing me a gown. With another bow, he stepped out of the examination room. I quickly changed into the gown, shivering with anxiety. Kunnan came back with a tablet. His eyes were twinkling, smiling secretively. He covered my legs with a warm blanket. He lifted the gown and used another device, hovering it over my stomach. “Just as I suspected.”

“What?” I questioned.

He turned the tablet around, showing Edward and me a brightly colored image with a fluttering thing in the middle of the screen. “Congratulations, Emperor and Empress. You are expecting a child. This is the head and this is the heart beating.”

“A baby?” I sniffled, tears welling in my eyes.

“A baby,” Kunnan breathed. “However, it looks like the gestation may be accelerated due to the child being a Cygnarian/Human hybrid. My guess is that you will give birth in roughly eleven months, Empress.”

“A baby,” I cried, gripping Edward’s hand. “We’re going to have a baby.”

“I’m so happy for the both of you,” Kunnan beamed. He shook Edward’s hand and kissed my cheek. “I’ll give you both a few moments to let you absorb what I’ve told you.”

“Thank you, Kunnan,” Edward replied, his voice thick with emotion. Kunnan left and we were staring at the tablet which still had the picture of our growing baby in my belly. Edward ran his hand over my stomach, letting out a small sob. “A baby. We created a baby, _Fíorghrá_.” He looked into my eyes and tears were flowing freely down his cheeks. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, more, Edward,” I sniffled, pulling him down to me to kiss me gently. I laid my hand over his, running my fingers over his hand. **“** _Te’unis el maurouche._ ”

“What does that mean?” Edward asked.

“I love you, my beloved child,” I whispered, pressing my cheek to his shoulder.

“Ever since I first heard your voice inside my head, my life has only gotten better. I can’t believe that we are mates, _te’atée_ mates, with our love transcending everything. With you, all my dreams have come true,” Edward murmured, crouching closer to me. “Together, we overcame the Alliance threat, fulfilled your father’s dream of joining the Federation and now, we’re going to become parents. I love you and I adore our baby.”

“Our futures were destined, Edward,” I said. “My father chose you specifically for me. It was written in the stars.”

“No, our fate and our love were star crossed. I traveled many light years to find you and will be by your side always,” he whispered. He kissed me again, smiling against my lips. We watched the fluttering of our baby’s heartbeat and I knew that my life would never be the same.

It would be better.

Much, much better with my star crossed lover, my _te’atée_ mate, my _ti’ane_ and our _maurouche._ We overcame all odds and we got our happily ever after.

**A/N: So, that was the last chapter of _Star Crossed_. We have the epilogue which will be posted next week. We have to wrap things up and find out what happened with all of the cast of characters. There are some pictures (including pervy ones) that will be posted on my tumblr and blog. Links for those are on my profile. You can also find me on Facebook: Tufano79’s Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation and on twitter: tufano79. **

**Leave me some lovin!**

 

 


	25. Epilogue

**So, something completely different…I’m struggling with writer’s block and I’m  hoping that if I write something new, it will get my juices flowing. I saw something on one of the many group’s walls and it intrigued me, The Twi-Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest. I’ve always been interested in _Star Trek_ and science fiction. Even before _Twilight,_ it caught my attention. I even wrote some _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ fic, but never posted it. Anyhow, the idea that I had couldn’t really lend itself to a one-shot. I decided to make it full-length fic (or novella…whichever it turns out to be). **

**Now, none of this mine. I’m not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I claim to be. I just like to play with her characters because they make me forget about my life for a while. I also do not own _Star Trek,_ which the space aspects of the story is loosely based off of. Everything else…is mine.**

**Thank you to everyone who stuck with me with this. I know that the long hiatus in the middle was not ideal, but I couldn't focus on this and my mother's illness. She helped me write the rest of this story, sitting on my shoulder and cheering me on. I'm thankful for her love and support as well as your words of encouragement as I wrote those. For those of you who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving! Once this is submitted, I will mark it as complete. Hugs to all of you!**

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Epilogue**

**EPOV**

**_Twenty-Five Years Later_ …**

“Thank you, Emperor,” said Governor Ru’bio, the son of Governor Ru’bia, from the city of _Fl’aag_. “We appreciate the additional desalinization units for the hydroponic gardens.”

“The gardens have produced so many fresh fruit and vegetables for the desert regions surrounding _Fl’aag._ Plus, your researchers have helped the Federation fine-tune their hydroponic techniques, as well,” I smiled, shaking Governor Ru’bio’s hand. “How is your father?”

“He’s the same,” Ru’bio frowned. “His illness is not improving, but not getting any worse, either.”

“Let him know that Empress Nirabelle and I are thinking about him,” I said, putting a hand on Ru’bio’s shoulder. “Your father was a wonderful man. _Ygrin’ne_ syndrome is a cruel and horrific disease.” _Ygrin’ne_ syndrome was a crippling, debilitating syndrome that attacked a Cygnarian’s mind. It was similar to Alzheimer’s from years ago on Earth, but it was faster moving and also impacted the victim’s motor functions as well. Within a year of his diagnosis, Ru’bia was confined to a wheelchair and barely able to say a few words. Even with the most advanced medicine of the Federation, there was absolutely nothing we could do to help him or any other sufferers of _Ygrin’ne_ syndrome. Rose was working with Kunnan and the doctors on Forx to figure out a cure, or at least a viable treatment.

However, it didn’t seem promising. The genetic coding for the syndrome was very complex and wouldn’t respond to any standard treatments. They were exploring some not-so-standard options.

“Thank you again, Emperor,” Governor Ru’bio smiled, getting up from the seat across from me. I nodded and watched as he left. I got up from my desk, walking to the window. I ran my hand through my thick hair, still bronze-colored hair. I was almost fifty-six but didn’t look a day over thirty. The medication that Kunnan gave me once a month worked wonders. I was stronger than before, in the best shape of my life. I rarely got sick and when I did, I recuperated quickly thanks to the injection and my carbon-infused bones.

It was bittersweet, though. I was seemingly ageless while my parents were growing older, as were my friends and fellow colleagues. The three comforts were knowing that my sister was also receiving the same injections as me, my beautiful and wonderful children whom I loved and that I was able to spend my life with my mate, my one and only love, Nirabelle.

My Bella.

My sweet **_Fíorghrá._**

“Emperor,” called the deep male voice of my envoy, D’Metri’s brother, Qu’ille. “The Empress has asked you to join her in the suite.”

“Tell her that I have one more meeting. Ambassador J’ran is supposed to contact me …” The computer console beeped on my desk. I chuckled quietly. “Now, from Earth. I’ll be fifteen minutes.”

“Understood, sir,” Qu’ille nodded, bowing as he left.

I sat down, turning on my computer. “J’ran! How are you doing?” I asked, seeing his smiling face.

“I’m good. Very good,” he answered. “I have news for you. Some bad. Some good.”

“Well, let me hear the bad news first,” I said, almost afraid to hear what he had to say.

“The _Saratoga_ was traveling past the _Gamella’an_ system. They checked _Gamel III_ for any sort of humanoid life signs. There weren’t any. They assembled an away team to check. The team found the remains of Caius about ten kilometers from his camp. He had been dead for some time, being crushed by a fallen tree during a storm.”

“Have you informed Counselor Marcusi?” I asked, saddened for the death of the brother of one of my closest friends and most-trusted advisors.

“I’ll contact him after I finish my discussion with you,” J’ran said, his face grim.

“No. No, I’ll do it. Marcusi deserves to hear this from me and from Nirabelle,” I muttered. I blew out a breath, looking back at him. “Now, the good news?”

“I’ve met a mate,” he blushed, his spots glowing. “A Turulian/Human woman. Her name is T’Paal.”

“When did this happen?” I asked, grinning happily for my friend.

“We met at an embassy function. She is a part of the science directorate on the Turulian home world. She came to Earth to work with the Galaxy Fleet science division on a recent discovery in the outskirts of the Beta Quadrant. We met and it was almost subtle. We were talking over our meals and this warmth filled my belly, traveling outward until my spots began to glow brightly. T’Paal asked what it was and I explained to her about the phenomenon of imprinting. She was intrigued. We continued to talk and then it hit her. It took all of my strength to stop her from kissing me.” He chuckled, his spots burning just underneath his skin’s surface. “We took a shuttle to a city in the desert. Las Wages?”

“Las Vegas,” I laughed. “You got married in Las Vegas?”

“We found a temple …”

“Chapel,” I snickered. “They’re called chapels.”

“Chapel, temple, whatever!” J’ran grumbled, arching a brow at me. “Are you going to let me finish my story?”

“I’m sorry. I just find this to be _hysterical_ ,” I said, barely containing my laughter.

“Anyway, T’Paal and I found a Turulian chapel in one of the smaller hotels. The priest performed a beautiful combination of a Turulian and Cygnarian ceremony. Of course, we’ll have the full ceremonies on our own worlds, in front of our families and friends, but we are, for all intents and purposes, mated,” J’ran smirked.

“Wow! Congratulations, J’ran. This is better than good news. This is great!” I beamed. “When are you coming back to Forx so we can give you a mating ceremony?”

“In two Earth years. That’s why we flew to Las Vegas,” J’ran explained. “This project that T’Paal is working on is keeping her here for two years, with the possibility of flying out to the Beta Quadrant to collect more samples. We couldn’t wait that long to mate. We are both older and felt the effects slowly, but once they hit, it was overwhelming. We would not have lasted very long before we would have started to fail. One of the Cygnarian Federation delegates acted as one of my witnesses, while T’Paal’s sister, T’Mienne, acted as hers.”

“Do you want me to tell Bella?” I asked.

“No. I’ll tell her. Bella is like a daughter to me. She should hear this type of news from me,” J’ran nodded. “I’ll call her once we get back from our moon honey.”

“Honeymoon,” I laughed.

“English is filled too many colorful words,” J’ran scoffed. “I’ll talk to you soon. Give my love to your mate and to my grandchildren.”

“I will, J’ran. Congratulations,” I said, ending the subspace call. I got up from my desk, scrubbing my face. Turning on my heel, I left my office, sealing the door with my retinal scan. I walked through the palace to the massive suite that I shared with my beautiful mate and our five children. Okay, technically, it was four children. Our oldest son, Charel, was preparing to leave for Galaxy Fleet Academy to follow in Charanel’s footsteps.

My brother was returning to Forx to pick up his nephew aboard his ship, the _Cigno_. Charanel was the newest Galaxy Fleet captain, given the most state-of-the-art vessel in the fleet. It was a combination of Galaxy Fleet design and Cygnarian propulsion, which had revolutionized jump drive technology. Maximum velocity for ships that had retrofit with the new designs had increased to jump factor twelve, utilizing half of the antimatter and deuterium in a standard jump core.

I was excited for my son, but wary of sending him so far away. Though, my mate was more anxious than me. I knew what to expect for Galaxy Fleet training since I had been to the academy. Bella hated that Charel was leaving, but understood his call to duty. He was very much like me in that regard. I had prepared him for the rigors of training, acting as an adjunct professor of the academy, as I had done numerous times before for all of the recruits that lived on Forx, but it was obviously different with the recruit being my oldest son.

I remembered when Bella gave birth to him. He was so small and helpless, a far cry from the strong man who was now heading to Seattle in a few short days.

_“Keep pushing, Empress,” Kunnan urged. “You’ve almost passed the head.”_

_“I’m so tired,” she wailed, her face red and drawn from her nearly thirty hour labor. “I can’t. I just can’t. He’s too big!”_

_“My Bella, you can do this. You are so strong,” I whispered, crouching down next to her and taking her sweaty face in my hands. “I love you and I love our son. Use me for your strength.”_

_She cried, tears falling down her cheeks. She pulled me behind her on the bed. I threaded my fingers with hers as I pulled her legs back. Kunnan nodded as Bella began to bear down with the next contraction. I mentally told her how proud I was of her and how strong she was. I also described the moment when I found out I was going to be a father to her. From my mental cheerleading, Bella grunted and pushed out our first-born son. Charel Anthony, the crowned prince of Forx, came into this world, screaming loudly and weighing 4.4 kg. His hair was a shock of bronze and his eyes were the most brilliant, verdant green. He had the spots of his mother, traveling down the length of his body and subtly pointed ears._

_“Go to him,” Bella whispered, her voice impossibly exhausted. “See if he is okay.”_

_“I don’t want to leave you,” I murmured, kissing her lips._

_“Go,_ ti’ane _,” she urged. I nodded, kissing her once again and walking to the tiny bassinet where Tal, Kunnan’s mate, was working on cleaning up the rigors of birth off my child._

_“Here, Emperor,” Tal said, taking the squirming bundle and placing it into my arms. “Congratulations, Papa.”_

_“Thank you,” I whispered. Charel stopped his squirming, blinking up at me. He cooed, snuggling into my chest. A small sob erupted from my lips. My son recognized me. I had made it a nightly ritual to speak to Bella’s growing belly. I would tell our baby all about what we did during the day and saying how much I loved them both. Bella thought it was silly, but she indulgently let me do it. She got to carry our son – feeling him inside of her belly, protecting and caring for him within her body - but I wanted in on that bond, too. It was her body, her heartbeat and her voice he’d recognize immediately. Because of my crazy ritual, my son recognized my voice as someone who loved and adored him, from the moment of his conception. He felt safe enough to snuggle in my arms and I would do anything to protect him. I lifted him to my lips, pressing his fuzzy head to my mouth. “I love you, Charel. I’m so happy to meet you.”_

_Despite my happiness, I was freaking out. I was now responsible for another being. This child would look up to me for_ everything. _Was I going to fuck up? Shit! I just thought about the word fuck while I was holding my kid. I’m going to be a horrible father. What if I drop him? Oh, GOD!_

Edward, stop fussing and bring our son to me, _Bella thought to me, her mental voice drained, but happy and teasing. I walked carefully, clutching my son to my chest. I reached my mate, handing him to her. She began crying, cradling him to her body. “Edward, he is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”_

 _“He looks exactly like you,_ Fíorghrá,” _I murmured, sitting next to two of them. Bella lowered her hospital gown, maneuvering Charel to her breast. I watched as Bella fed our baby, finally feeling a sense of completion and absolute joy. “Thank you, my love. For everything. I never knew I could love someone as much as I love both of you.”_

_“I love you, too,” Bella whispered, running her finger down Charel’s cheek._

_“I’m scared, though,” I confessed. “He’s so tiny.”_

_“He is stronger than he looks, but he will have his amazing father to take care of him,” Bella replied, smiling up at me. Her eyes were tired, but the contentment and love she had for our child was pouring off her._

_“And a wonderful, beautiful, loving mother, too,” I breathed, brushing my lips with hers. “Thank you, my_ Fíorghrá.”

“Papa, Momma is looking for you,” my oldest son chuckled. Charel was now as tall as me with broad shoulders, a crooked smile and piercing green eyes.  He was twenty-three years old, wanting to complete his schooling in Forx since he was the crowned prince and heir apparent to the throne. He attended university, receiving high honors in diplomacy, politics and interstellar business. “Were you stressing about my departure to Earth, Papa?”

“No. Just remembering when you were born, Charel,” I answered, blushing slightly. My son arched a brow. I shared a partial telepathic bond with my children. They could register my emotions and very strong thoughts, but the connection was nowhere as clear as what I had with my Bella. “Okay, I was stressing about your leaving for Earth.”

“Papa, I will be fine. Ambassador J’ran will be on Earth,” Charel explained as we walked back to our suite. Charel was staying in what used to be the old emperor suite. He was an adult and deserved to live on his own. He loved his family, but his two youngest siblings were very young.

And very loud.

They were our six year old twins and they had two volumes – loud and louder. As soon as I opened the door, Norelle and Lianel, my adorable fraternal twins, screamed when they saw me. “DADDY!!!”

“Twin Terrors,” I yelled back as they both ran up to me, jumping into my arms and using my body as their own personal jungle gym. By the time Bella walked out, Norelle was in my arms and Lianel was hanging off my back.

Charel was rolling his eyes, sitting down next to his sister, Riannelle. She was reading an Earth novel that she had discovered in my Federation database. Riannelle was nineteen years old and our quiet, angelic child. She also acted as peacemaker between all of our children, the voice of reason. She was most like my mate, calm and deliberate. She was also the exact replica of Bella, except her eyes were a brilliant green. Riannelle was studying anthropology, archeology and exobiology. However, she was a romantic, wanting to be swept away like Bella and me. We were looking for an imprint for her, but no one sparked our internal sensor for our daughter.

Charel had an imprint, a beautiful girl from _Ch’ich_. They obviously hadn’t met, but once Charel was done with his schooling at the academy, we’d arrange for them to meet. Until then, Charel received a similar injection to Bella’s contraceptive to allow him to interact with non-familial females without initiating the mating bond. However, since he had an imprint, it was unlikely he’d imprint with another.

N’essie was our middle daughter. She was thirteen and a trouble maker. She was going through the Cygnarian version of adolescence and was moody and cranky. On top of that, she was struggling with her school work. N’essie was incredibly smart, but was often bored with the lessons. As a result, she acted out inappropriately. Bella and I tried to tutor her privately. Her teenage surliness came out in droves when we did that. She enjoyed school for the social aspect, but she didn’t get much out of the lessons.

“I was wondering where you were,” Bella said, her hands on her hips. “I asked Qu’ille to get you a half hour ago. As a family, we have to attend the opening of the new children’s museum this evening.”

“I had forgotten,” I apologized. “I’m so sorry, my love. I had a meeting with Governor Ru’bio and then a subspace communication with Ambassador J’ran. Our conversation went on longer than I anticipated.”

“It’s okay. It gave me time to convince N’essie to join us,” Bella said, kissing my lips sweetly. “She got into trouble in school again. She’s been suspended for cheating on a calculus test.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. Calculus is simple for N’essie,” I growled.

“No, she was providing her friend, Shyra, with the answers,” Bella muttered, her lips pursed. “The teacher caught her as she was sending the answers to Shyra’s tablet. Both girls were suspended for five days.”

“There has to be more that we can do,” I snarled, glaring at my middle daughter as she slunk into the suite. She was dressed demurely in a navy blue shift dress. Her face was impassive, a touch sad. Her blue eyes were dim and her face pale. She knew she made a mistake. “Once we get back from this opening, we need to have a long discussion with her, Bella.”

“I agree,” Bella nodded succinctly. She looked at me. “You need to change.” I looked down at my casual attire and again at Bella’s finery. Wrinkling my nose, I walked to the bedroom and put on some more appropriate clothing for this opening. Once I was dressed in a navy blue suit coat, a pair of grey dress pants, and my royal sash with the Cygnarian crest at my hip, I joined my family in the main living space. Bella was trying to smooth Lianel’s hair since the poor boy had inherited my crazy cowlicks. As much as I loved watching her with her children, I just loved her.

My mate, my only love, my star crossed _Fíorghrá._

Her body had changed from four pregnancies. She was still slender but her body had a softness to it. Her hair was in soft curls, pinned at the nape of her neck with her circlet weaved into the rich chocolate brown tresses. Her eyes no longer held the sadness of the loss of her parents nor the stress of the Alliance/Alphan threat. Our biggest concerns now were for our children. Even Forx was thriving in a way it never had before since we signed the treaty with the Alliance. “Daddy! We’re twins!” Lianel chirped, hopping off the couch before Bella could fix his hair. He was wearing his own mini version of my attire. It was quite adorable.

“We are, Lianel. Even down to our crazy manes,” I snickered, ruffling his hair and placing his circlet around his head.

“Edward, it was almost flat,” Bella groaned.

“It’s a fruitless endeavor, Nirabelle. This will never be tamed. Right, Lianel?” I asked. My youngest son nodded, running his hands through his hair and finding his sister. Bella barked out a laugh.

We gathered our children, heading out to the new children’s museum, overlooking the Renien Ocean and even extending past the shore for activities involving the water. The museum’s administrator greeted us and we went over the activities for the opening. Once the press and the various children arrived, we announced the museum open. We took holos with various children and families and answered questions from the press. After a few hours, we were done and heading back to the palace. Riannelle and Charel went to his quarters, packing for his departure for Earth. Lianel and Norelle were taken by their nanny to eat a snack before their afternoon lessons. N’essie was waiting for her punishment.

It was a conversation I did not want to have.

“N’essie, have a seat,” Bella said, her voice hard.

She sat down, her hands folded in her lap. She was worrying her lip and fighting back tears. “I’m sorry, Momma,” she whispered. “Shyra didn’t understand what we were being tested on, so figured I’d help her. Our teacher caught me as I was sending her the answer to number three, confiscating my tablet. And the teacher is so boring! I know all of this stuff! You and Papa have taught me so much, going there is …”

“We know that you are frustrated with school, N’essie,” Bella said, her eyes narrow.

“This goes beyond frustration, Bella,” I chided. “For a child as advanced as N’essie, she needs a more rigorous curriculum. Am I right?” N’essie nodded, twisting her _ioti_ stone bracelet.“What interests you?”

“What Charel studies,” N’essie answered, looking up at me with almost hopeful eyes. “I want to go to Galaxy Fleet Academy, like him! Like you!”

“N’essie,” Bella frowned. “I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

My daughter had also adopted my temper. Her spots sizzled and she stood up. “How so, MOTHER?” she snarled. “Is it because I’m a girl? Only men can fight in wars? Or do I need to remind you that you killed Jakob and Vruk?! Or is it because I’m a princess?”

“N’essie, do not use that tone with your mother,” I snapped back. My daughter turned to me, glaring at me with contempt. _Ugh, teenagers. Was I that bad?_ “Go to your room. We’ll discuss this and talk to you when you’ve calmed down.” With a huff, N’essie stomped away. She slammed the door to her room, causing a vase to fall onto the ground, shattering into a million pieces. I huffed as I sat back, pinching my nose. “I liked her better when she was a baby, unable to sass back.”

“Little children, little problems. Big children, bigger problems,” Bella grumbled. “I don’t want her going to Galaxy Fleet Academy. She’s only thirteen!”

“She won’t go to the academy now. She has to complete secondary school before she’d be accepted,” I explained. Bella growled. “Though, she has every right to go to the academy as Charel. Why do you want to deny her that?”

“Because she’s just a baby! A girl! I don’t want her to …” Bella yelled, leaning forward.

“ _Fíorghrá_ _,_ can I make a suggestion without getting screamed at?” I whispered, kneeling before my mate. “I think that N’essie needs more than what we can provide, in the way of schooling. She loves the social aspect of school, but is bored because she already knows the material. I think that N’essie would thrive aboard a starship.”

“I don’t want to have her leave,” Bella cried.

“Not leave, but spend some time with Uncle Charanel and Aunt Lizzie and their brood,” I said, arching a brow. “She can attend school aboard the _Cigno._ Plus, she can see how a starship is run and see if that is the life she wants.”

“I don’t want her to think that we’re just sending her away,” Bella sniffled.

“She won’t. Obviously, she will need to be punished for cheating, but in the long run, she will grow and mature,” I explained. “Living on a starship was part of the reason why I was the youngest captain in the fleet. I finished my secondary schooling early. Let’s consider it before we send her back to that school in the city.”

“I do not want to make a decision right now,” Bella said. “Can we think about it?”

“Charanel will not be here for another two weeks, Bella,” I said, pulling her onto my lap. “We have that long before we have to make a decision.” I nuzzled her cheek. “I spoke with J’ran before I came home.”

“How’s he doing?” Bella asked. “How is he enjoying his assignment on Earth?”

I chuckled. “He is definitely enjoying it. However, he did contact me about Caius.”

“Oh?” Bella responded, arching a brow.

“They found his body on the planet. He was crushed by a tree,” I murmured.

“Has J’ran told Marcusi?” Bella asked, looking at me. Her face was tight and her eyes cold. She was not upset at the death of one of the many traitors that had sold Forx out to the Alliance.

“He asked that we do it,” I answered. “I think that hearing his brother is dead from us is the most humane thing to do.”

“Is it sad that I don’t care that Caius is dead?” she whispered, her hands clenched into rigid claws.

“It’s not sad, Bella. You disagreed with the Assembly of Nobles’ decision for exile,” I said. “The man had sold out your people to the Alliance. Because he showed mercy to his brother, he got to live out his life. However, his end justified the means. He was still sentenced to death and his death was much more gruesome.” Bella smirked evilly, snorting indelicately. “For now, let’s enjoy our time with our children and tell Marcusi and Didyme about Caius’s death tomorrow.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Bella sighed, putting her head on my shoulder and melting against my side.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

The following day, we went to _Ch’ich_ to our summer home for a final vacation before Charel was to leave with Charanel to Earth. We also had to meet up with Marcusi and Didyme to tell Marcusi about his brother’s death. While we were in _Ch’ich_ , our kids were spending time with Aunt Rose and Uncle Emmett and their two children. They had purchased a small cottage on the shores of the _Ch’ichian Sea._ They were enjoying some shore leave. Rose was the captain of a science research vessel and Emmett was her chief engineer.

We left our kids with them and we transported to Marcusi and Didyme’s home on the other side of the town. Bella rang the chime. Didyme answered. She smiled happily. “Emperor! Empress! What a pleasant surprise,” she sang, allowing us into their modest home. “If I had known that you were coming, I would have made some _tala root_ tea. I know that you both enjoy it so.”

“That’s okay, Didyme,” I replied, kissing her cheek. “We’re not staying long. Is Marcusi here?”

“He’s in the back, gardening,” Didyme said, guiding us out to the massive floral and herb garden in the backyard of their property. “Since he retired, this has become his new obsession. I wake up every morning with a bouquet of gorgeous flowers on my nightstand. It’s all very romantic.”

“Will you garden and give me bouquets of flowers when we retire?” Bella giggled, sliding her arms around me.

“I kill things. I had a plant in my quarters that my mother gave me when I was first promoted to lieutenant commander. Within a day, the plant shriveled up and died,” I explained.

“A day?” Didyme teased.

“Okay, it was more like two weeks, but it was crazy aboard that ship,” I shrugged. “Regardless, I do not handle living things well.”

“Your children would beg to differ, Emperor,” Marcusi laughed, walking toward us and wiping his hands on a towel that hung from his belt. “I think you did well with them.”

“Kids are different,” I chuckled. “Plus, Bella took care of them since I was terrified of them when they were babies. I didn’t want to drop them on their heads or something.” _Though, N’essie as a teenager is pretty scary, too_.

 _This is quite true,_ Bella giggled. “And Edward was amazing with our children. He was a very hands-on father. But, children are a little more resilient than a potted plant. They cry when they are hungry, unhappy and needed a change.”

“Can I get you something to drink? Some snacks?” Marcusi asked, sitting down on the chaise lounge.

“No, thank you,” Bella replied. “Marcusi, Ambassador J’ran contacted Edward a couple of days ago.”

“How is he doing? Enjoying his assignment as Federation Ambassador?” Marcusi asked, sipping some water.

“Very much so. However, we received some information regarding your brother,” I frowned.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Marcusi muttered, his face paling and his eyes deadening. “When did it happen? Was he in pain?”

“The _Saratoga_ was running a routine mission, flying close to the _Gamella’an_ system. They checked _Gamel III_ for any humanoid life signs and didn’t find any. They assembled an away team, searching for Caius. They found him crushed underneath a tree from a storm,” I told him. “From the condition of his remains, it had been over a year since he died.”

“Did he suffer?” Marcusi asked, his voice quiet and impossibly sad.

“I don’t know, but from the extent of the injuries, he died instantly,” I explained, handing him a tablet with the autopsy results from the _Saratoga_. “Charanel has the remains aboard the _Cigno_ if you want to perform the _H’aaruune_.”

“No. My brother was exiled from this world and should not allowed his final rest. Liannette and Norex didn’t receive the _H’aaruune_. Neither should Caius. He acted against our world, sold us out to the Alliance. The Assembly of Nobles granted him leniency, but I have not, nor will I ever, forgive him,” Marcusi said, his voice tight. He stood up, running his hands down his legs. “I have some _kinka_ flowers that need my attention. If you’ll excuse me.” He turned on his heel, walking away from us.

“I’m so sorry, Didyme,” I murmured. “If there is anything that you need …”

“It’s not your fault. I’m surprised that Caius lasted as long as he did,” Didyme sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “Marcusi already grieved his brother after we dropped him off at that moon. However, knowing that Caius is truly gone, my mate is grieving all over again. He will be fine, in time.”

“If Marcusi changes his mind about providing Caius with the _H’aaruune_ , we will do everything in our power to accommodate him,” Bella said, taking Didyme’s hand.

“Unlikely, but thank you,” Didyme said, hugging my mate. “Now, I’m going to check on Marcusi.”

“We’ll see ourselves out,” I said, helping Bella to her feet. Didyme gave me a kiss on my cheek before she walked into the garden, following the same path as her mate.

We spent the next few days in _Ch’ich_ with Rose, Emmett and their children. Bella and I discussed our concerns about N’essie with Emmett and Rose. After sharing our concerns with them, they both agreed with me that N’essie might get more out of a Federation school aboard a starship. Bella was still unconvinced, afraid that N’essie would interpret our decision to have her spend time with Charanel would be us abandoning her.

Rose, Emmett and their children left the day before we were to depart for the Imperial City. They received orders from Galaxy Fleet to assist in an outbreak of _L’Davian flu_ on Rigel VII. We left the following day, no closer to a decision about N’essie and growing concern about Marcusi. He had ignored our communiqués since that day we told him about Caius. We knew it would be a matter of time before he got over the news, but we were still concerned.

Once we got back to the palace, Charanel contacted us and said that he was three days away. Charel worked on finishing up packing. Riannelle helped her brother. They were close and his impending departure was causing her distress. N’essie was also helping Charel pack his belongings, asking him a million and one questions about the academy. Upon hearing her insistent questions, Bella and I decided that it would be beneficial for her to spend a year on the _Cigno_. Charanel, Elizabeth and the countless Galaxy Fleet officers would give N’essie an education she would not soon forget and one that would pique her intellect.

Three days flew by and before we knew it, Captain Charanel beamed down to the Imperial Palace. Elizabeth and their three children, Isabella, Edward, and Nira’elle, beamed down as well, along with two other welcomed guests, Maralice and Jasper. My parents, who had retired to _Port’ange’les,_ were also in the Imperial Palace, anxious to see their daughter, son-in-law and their gaggle of grandchildren. There were hugs, kisses and tears all around as we reconnected.

My parents took the younger kids to the newly opened children’s museum while Charanel pulled me and Bella into my office. His expression was grim, a far cry from the laughing, jovial man who had beamed down in the throne room. “I’ve missed you both and this place,” Charanel breathed, looking out the window. “This last mission prior to my promotion was …”

“What was wrong?” Bella asked, standing next to her brother.

“You know the peace treaty you signed with the Alliance?” Charanel questioned. “With the help of the Federation, we relocated all of the remaining Alphans. It was one of the first missions I was assigned to once I received my first deep space assignment. The doctors tried to help them with their radiation poisoning, but it was to no avail. We just found out that the Alphans are officially extinct. Additionally, the Alliance has completely crumbled. The Remans have shut their borders, becoming completely xenophobic. However, I was on one of the first ships that came to check on the distress call sent out by the Alphan colony. They were all dead, almost disintegrating before our eyes. It was one of the most horrific things I’d seen.”

“All of the Alphans are dead?” I muttered.

“Yes,” Charanel answered. “They were decaying where they lay. It was so sad.”

“In a way, I’m sad, too. The Alphans were just pawns in the whole Alliance struggle,” Bella sighed. “The Remans pushed them too far, too fast and it ended up killing them. However, I’m glad that it’s truly _over_. Despite the peace treaty and the relocation of the Alphans, I was always afraid that they would want to finish what they started so long ago.”

“Even with all of the help of Galaxy Fleet Medical and all of their advancements in radiation poisoning, the cellular decay was too great. The doctors helped prolong their lives, but in reality, it just made their suffering that much worse,” Charanel said, taking my mate into his arms. “Regardless of that outcome, I’m happy to be home and with my family for a few days before I take my nephew back to Earth so he can start his own Galaxy Fleet adventure.”

“He’s very excited,” Bella said. “I don’t want him to go, but every child needs to leave the nest.”

“You felt the same way when I went away to the academy,” Charanel snickered, walking to the couch and sitting down. “N’essie, though, told me that she is in deep trouble for cheating? What happened?”

“That girl is going to give me grey hair,” I grumbled. I looked at Charanel and he hadn’t aged a bit. His physique was sculpted and chiseled, but he still looked like the man I met twenty-five years ago, but his eyes held a sparkle - the man who was developmentally delayed and couldn’t function without the help of Maralice or Nirabelle. Now, he was a captain of the fastest ship in the fleet, making every one of us so proud. “Anyhow, after a long discussion, we’d like to have N’essie spend some time with you and Elizabeth aboard the _Cigno_. I know that you are able to bring families along with you and that you have a school.”

“We’d love to have her. N’essie will get an amazing education. She also complained about how everything was too easy at school,” Charanel chuckled. “We’re going on an extended mission after we return to Earth. We’ll be charting and exploring a distant portion of the _Arugulis_ sector. We will be back in a little over a year. Will N’essie be able to handle being separated from you for that long?”

“The _Arugulis_ sector is a four month journey from here?” I asked. Charanel nodded. “Worse comes to worse, we could take the _Cygnarus_ out of mothballs and come get her. Though, I doubt we will. N’essie has expressed an interest in joining Galaxy Fleet.”

“She told me that, too,” Charanel snorted.

“What hasn’t she told you?” I laughed.

“What can I say? I’m the cool uncle,” he bellowed.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

**_One Year Later …_ **

Charel was enrolled in Galaxy Fleet Academy. N’essie eagerly stayed with Uncle Charanel and Aunt Elizabeth while Riannelle enrolled in university on Forx. Maralice and Jasper officially decided to leave Galaxy Fleet and retired to _Ch’ich_ , purchasing a cottage next to Rosalie and Emmett’s vacation home. Lianel and Norelle were starting school in a few months, finally able to attend the primary school.

The year went by slowly while Charel attended Galaxy Fleet Academy. Every couple of weeks we’d hear from him and from N’essie via subspace communications. It wasn’t the same as having them both under our roof, but we knew they were safe, happy and healthy.

Thankfully, N’essie got her head on straight and found her niche in the world. She _loved_ medicine. She worked with the nurses and doctors aboard the _Cigno,_ making the decision to enroll in Galaxy Fleet Medical School on the Solari home world once she finished her academy training. It gave her a renewed purpose and focus for when she returned to Forx. We also decided to get her private, advanced tutors once she got back home. The sooner she completed her studies, the faster she’d begin her medical career.

On its way back from the _Arugulis_ sector, the _Cigno_ picked up Charel and ferried him back to Forx. My son brought along his roommate, a human named William, since his parents had died in the Dominion War. They had become close friends since they were both first year cadets that were older than the usual students. William had to work his way through his schooling since he was doing everything on his own and Charel had been adamant on completing his schooling on Forx before starting his Galaxy Fleet career.

Bella was pacing the throne room, anxious to see her two absent children. She hated being so far away from both of them, but understood why Charel wanted to serve the Federation and our need to help N’essie with the help of the ‘cool uncle.’ “Bella, relax. Charanel contacted us and they are a few hours away. Are you going to pace for a few hours?”

“Maybe,” she said, twisting her diamond ring that I had given her in Seattle. “I just miss my babies.”

“I’ve missed them, too,” I said, taking her hand and guiding her to my throne. I held her on my lap, kissing her neck. Her body shuddered when my lips came in contact with her skin. _We could enjoy some time to ourselves, Bella. Practice making more babies._

“Stop,” she said breathlessly, glaring at me but the fire behind her eyes was unmistakable. _How do you know how to make me unbelievably turned on with one look, one touch?_

“It’s a gift,” I snickered, maneuvering her on my lap so I could kiss her freely. However, our brief make out session was interrupted by the giggles and laughter of Lianel and Norelle, running in from their day at school. Our oldest daughter was following behind them along with her handmaiden, Jerasse’s daughter, Melora, who had been born a few months prior to Riannelle. It was a welcome distraction since I was moments away from dragging my mate to our quarters and spending the next few hours worshipping her body. We’d only grown more insatiable for each other as the years went by. Bella, however, was back on the contraceptive medication since carrying twins had wreaked havoc on her body. If we wanted more children, it would have to wait a couple of years.

We weren’t discounting having more, but right now we were happy with our family and having them all under the same roof.

Lianel, Norelle and I played on the grounds of the palace while Bella and Riannelle sat in the sun. It was an idyllic moment, happy and amazing. Time seemed to fly by as we spent time bonding as a family. Before I knew it, my communicator was chirping and Charanel was contacting me. Bella heard the chirp of my communicator, running to me and swiping the brooch from my shirt. She began yammering to her brother while I tried to calm down my twins, who were excited to see their uncle and older siblings. However, my mate was more excited than both of them combined. I could feel her excitement and joy at being reunited with Charel and N’essie after being separated for a little over a year.

Within an hour, we were all waiting in the throne room. Bella was practically vibrating with anticipation while Lianel and Norelle were skipping around their older sister. Riannelle was smiling at her younger siblings indulgently, but was just as excited to see her older brother and younger sister. The familiar glow of the transporter lit up the throne room with five transporter beams. Once their patterns solidified, Bella was rushing to Charel and N’essie, pulling them into her arms. She was crying with joy, kissing them happily and prattling in Cygnarian how much she loved them and missed them.

However, it was the jolt I felt in my heart that caught my attention. I looked at my oldest daughter. Her eyes were wide as she looked at the tall, fit, dark-haired man that had beamed down with our family. I presumed it was William, Charel’s roommate. He dropped his bag and started walking toward her. The lust emanating from both of them was filling the room. Riannelle’s spots were glowing brilliantly as she floated toward the young man who was seemingly her imprint.

“William?” I smiled, holding out my hand. “Welcome to Forx, son!”

He blinked, his trance breaking. “Emperor Cullen, it’s an honor to meet you,” he said, shaking my hand. He looked over my shoulder at my daughter. Elizabeth and Charanel were whispering to her, explaining what was happening to her. He gulped, looking back at me. “Thank you for opening up your home to me during our vacation.”

“It’s nothing, William,” I said, taking him outside and guiding him to the old playground that had been designed for Charanel. We sat down on a bench. “Please, call me Edward.”

“It might take time, sir,” he chuckled nervously. “You’re a bit of a legend at Galaxy Fleet Headquarters and one of the many reasons why I joined.” He gulped again, looking back toward the palace. “Um, sir, this may sound strange, but why can I hear your oldest daughter’s voice in my head?”

“Did Charel tell you about the phenomenon of imprinting?” I asked.

“Briefly. He said that he has a mate here on the planet, but that they haven’t met yet since it would begin the mating bond,” William said, squirming in his seat. “Wait a minute. Are you saying …?”

“It would appear so,” I said, snickering quietly. “Welcome to the family, William.”

He blushed, his violet eyes glowing brightly, obviously reacting to Riannelle and her need to complete the mating bond. “It’s completely overwhelming, sir.”

“Describe what you’re feeling, William,” I murmured. He went on to describe exactly what I felt when I first saw Bella on the view screen almost twenty-seven years ago. Riannelle and William were _te’atée_ imprinted mates. The strongest bond between two people in all of Cygnari society. _Bella, we’ve adopted a new son,_ I thought to my love.

 _I know. I felt it. It hit me like a ton of rocks,_ she said, her voice happy and wistful at the same time. _We’ll have to begin planning a mating ceremony,_ ti’ane _. The sooner the better. Riannelle is feeling the_ te’atée _bond. She wants nothing more than to kiss William and …_ She trailed off and her imagination taking over.

I wrinkled my nose. _Ugh, I don’t need to imagine my_ DAUGHTER _doing that. I’m scarred, Bella. Scarred!_

“So, let me get this straight. Riannelle and I are destined to be together?” William asked, breaking my conversation with Bella. “She’s my mate?”

“She’s your _te’atée_ mate,” I said. “It’s far rarer than traditional imprinting. Riannelle’s mother and I, we are also _te’atée_ mates. Our connection was explosive and the need to bond was overwhelming. Within three weeks of meeting face-to-face, we had our mating ceremony. That was twenty-seven years ago and our connection has only grown since then. The love I feel for her – it’s indescribable, honestly. Right now, you’re experiencing the chemical reaction of that bond, but you will need to be mated soon.”

“Oh, God,” he whimpered, thrusting his hands into his hair. “What about Galaxy Fleet?”

“You can still be a functioning member of Galaxy Fleet and be mated,” I snorted. “Look at Captain Charanel. He’s mated to my sister. I know it seems sudden and overwhelming and exciting, but in time, it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

“I can understand that,” William murmured, smiling softly. “Can … can I talk to her?”

“You can, but you must not kiss. That truly initiates the mating bond,” I explained, guiding him back to the throne room. Riannelle was sitting on her mother’s throne, speaking quietly to Bella and sharing her joy at finding her mate. William and I stopped at the edge of the raised dais of the thrones. Riannelle looked up, her spots glowing brightly and her face lighting up with love for the young man standing in front of her. “This is William, Riannelle.”

“He’s my roommate,” Charel said, walking over to his friend, draping his arm over his shoulders. “And apparently, your mate.”

They stared at each other for an age, seemingly communicating mentally. Riannelle stood up, gliding down to him and taking his hand. She pressed it to her cheek. “ _Ti’ane_ ,” she whispered.

“My love,” William murmured back. They started to move forward, but we pulled them apart before they could kiss. Riannelle scowled as Bella guided her away along with N’essie and Elizabeth. Charel and Charanel helped William to the guest quarters while I wrangled the twins to be with Melora, Riannelle’s handmaiden. She also acted as nanny for the twins.

Our happy reunion had turned into an interstellar match making fiasco. I was overjoyed that my daughter had found her mate and a _te’atée_ mate at that, but it was sad at the same time. My little girl was now growing up, becoming a woman. Shaking my head, I walked into our suite and helped my own mate, sister and N’essie calm down Riannelle. She was desperate to begin the mating bond. My quiet, sweet daughter was infatuated and desperate for her imprint. Kunnan was called in and she was given a mild sedative. I carried her to her bedroom and we spoke to N’essie as she told us about her time aboard the _Cigno._ Our middle daughter was lost in the shuffle with all that happened and I felt overwhelmingly guilty, as did Bella.

While Riannelle slept, we spoke with N’essie and told her our plans for her. She readily agreed to work with a private tutor. Within two years, she’d be ready to attend the academy and then begin her medical training. As they were talking, Charel came in after he got William settled into the guest cottage on the far end of the palace. They would be sharing the cottage. William was sleeping at the moment, exhausted from the emotional excitement of the day and from the long journey from Earth.

For the first time in ages, we had a family dinner with everyone at the table. The only absence was William. He was still tired from his journey, supposedly. Bella had put in a call to Marcusi, asking him to come up to read their bond. He agreed to come up in a day with Didyme to reunite with our family. He’d been distant since we told him about Caius, but we’d slowly been healing our friendship. However, we needed to know if we had to begin planning a mating ceremony for William and Riannelle. Based on their behaviors, my guess was probably affirmative.

Marcusi and Didyme arrived early the next morning. We were all sitting down for our breakfast when they arrived. Riannelle was sitting in between Bella and Charel while William was across the table next to Charanel. Marcusi smirked and his eyes lit up excitedly. His reaction confirmed what we believed. They were truly _te’atée_ mates and their mating ceremony would be planned almost immediately.

After breakfast, Charel took William on a tour of the Imperial City. N’essie, Riannelle and Elizabeth decided to go shopping while Charanel went up to the _Cigno_ to oversee some repairs to the plasma reactors. Bella and I met with Marcusi in Bella’s office, anxious to hear his interpretations of what he saw between Riannelle and William. I sat down on the couch. Bella decided to sit on my lap, twining her fingers with mine. “What’s the verdict, Marcusi?” I asked.

“They are definitely bonded and almost as strongly as you two were,” Marcusi said, sipping his _tala root_ tea. “You need to arrange for the ceremony to happen quickly. William looked pale and he was forlorn from being so far away from his mate.”

“How long, Marcusi?” Bella asked, her fingers gripping mine.

“A week, maybe two? If you don’t do it before then, they will both start to fail,” Marcusi said, smiling sadly at us.

“Then, it looks like we have a lot to do,” I said, nodding determinedly. “Do you think that Maralice can help us? She pulled together our mating ceremony.”

“I’ll give her a call,” Bella beamed, hopping up off my lap. She kissed Marcusi on the cheek, going to make her communiqués.

“You should give them an opportunity to get to know each other. Obviously, they will need to be supervised. Riannelle is very young, as is William. You and Bella met while you were older and could control your urges,” Marcusi said. “I am happy for you. A new generation of Cygnarian royalty is coming into their own.”

“Thank you, Marcusi. I can’t believe that Riannelle has imprinted,” I chuckled nervously.

“They grow up fast. It seems like yesterday that I was holding Riannelle in my arms as a baby,” Marcusi said.

“Can you perform their mating ceremony, Marcusi?” I asked.

“I’d be honored, Emperor,” Marcusi beamed. I hugged him tightly, happy that he would be there as my daughter would take the next step in her life.

xx STAR CROSSED xx

A week went by and William and Riannelle had chaperoned dates, getting to know one and another. Her mating ceremony was planned with the help of Elizabeth, Maralice and my mother. In addition to their dates, Riannelle was fitted for her mating ceremony dress, a beautiful replica of the gown that Bella wore at our mating ceremony. It was bittersweet seeing Riannelle wearing that dress. She looked gorgeous, as gorgeous as Bella did at our ceremony, but she would always be my little girl.

The morning of Riannelle’s mating ceremony dawned rainy and dreary, but the promise of sun in the afternoon. I was getting dressed, feeling wistful about what was happening this afternoon. Bella walked up behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “You seem sad, _ti’ane,_ ” she whispered, pressing her cheek between my shoulder blades.

“Not sad,” I argued weakly.

 _Liar_ , Bella quipped. I turned around, giving Bella scowl. “I know that you are upset at the ceremony happening. It seemed like yesterday that she was running around like Norelle. Unlike Charel’s imprint, we had no time to get used to the idea of them being mated. Now? We’ve pulled together a mating ceremony for Riannelle and William in just over week. We love our daughter, our children, but they are getting older. Charel will be mated in a couple of years. All of our children will find their happiness. This is the first one of at least five mating ceremonies.”

“I just thought I’d have more time,” I sighed. “I’m happy that Riannelle found someone who will love her as much as I love you, but she’ll always be my little girl.”

“As she will be mine, but now she belongs to another,” Bella murmured, kissing my jaw. “But, we loved her first. We were there for all of her firsts – her first steps, her first words, her first smile – now, we will be there for her mating ceremony. We loved her first, but William will love her always.”

“So will we,” I breathed, kissing her sweet, pink lips. We kissed for a few more minutes before I was kicked out of the palace. I went to the guest cottage where William, Charel and Charanel were getting ready for the mating ceremony. William was nervously pacing the length of the guest cottage. I was familiar to what he was dealing with. After his thirteenth pass of the cottage, I ushered him outside.

“I’m so nervous, sir,” William said, his eyes wide. “Excited, but nervous. It seems so fast, but I love her so much already.”

“It’s the wonderful thing about imprinting,” I explained, rubbing his back. “Being a human mated to a Cygnarian – in your case, a half Cygnarian – it’s overwhelming. When I first heard Bella’s voice in my head …”

“Bella?” William asked, smirking.

“Empress Nirabelle’s nickname. She asked me to call her that,” I blushed, my ears becoming hot. “Anyway, when I first heard her in my head, I thought I was going crazy. Then, I realized that it was her and my heart took off. I knew I had to do everything to protect her, love her, _mate_ with her.”

“Captain Charanel said that what we experienced was a hundred times deeper than what a normal Cygnarian feels?” William murmured, rubbing his heart.

“Our connection with our mates goes deeper inside. Even though Bella is in the center of the palace, I can feel her, in here. Her voice is ringing clearly in my head. I can feel the love she has for me, surrounding me like a warm bubble of happiness,” I breathed. _I adore you, my only love_.

 _I know you do. I can feel it,_ she purred back. _I love you so much, Edward._ Ti-ane mahnu te-atée sa-ahari. _I can’t tell you enough what you mean to me._

“You’re speaking to her, aren’t you?” William asked.

“I just had to tell her that I adored her with all of my heart,” I said, my smile widening. “What we’re experiencing is very rare. Your connection, being a _te’atée_ mate, has only happened three times before. That’s why we rallied to pull together this ceremony for you. I know that you are struggling.”

“It’s like I can’t breathe. Touching her, holding her hand, it helps, but …” he trailed off.

“I understand, but as her father, I’m struggling with knowing what will happen tonight,” I snorted.

“Oh! I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to … _Shit!_ You must hate me,” he grumbled, thrusting his hands into his hair, only to find the circlet atop his head. He tugged it out, letting it dangle between his fingers.

“Relax, William,” I chuckled, rubbing his back.

“Liam. My family used to call me Liam,” he said, looking up at me sheepishly. “Not that I have much family left.”

“Liam, you’re a part of _our_ family,” I replied, moving closer to him. “I know that your parents died in the Dominion War shortly after they had you. You stayed with the counselor until the ship you were aboard made it back to Earth. You lived with your grandparents until they died and then got yourself emancipated at the age of fifteen.”

“My life sucked until I was able to join the academy,” Liam snorted derisively. “Life on Earth isn’t all roses and butterflies if you don’t know the right people.”

“Were you hurt?” I asked, saddened about Liam’s life.

“A few times, but my landlord in Omaha took me under his wing to stop it,” Liam shrugged. “It was his letter of recommendation that my enrolled into the academy where I met Charel and the rest is history.”

“What happened to your landlord?” I asked.

“He died of a brain aneurysm. The medical facility didn’t have the neurological implants that could save him. I held his hand while he struggled for his last breath,” Liam smiled sadly. “He made me promise to go to the academy and make a better life for myself. I know I’m not great son-in-law material …”

“No, you are. You adore my daughter and that’s all I ask,” I said, taking his hand. “I know that you came into our lives a week ago, but you are now a part of our family, Liam. Until you die, you will be mated to Riannelle and loved by everyone in her family, including me.” Liam bit back tears, throwing his arms around my neck. I didn’t know the pain he endured, but I could be a father figure to him.

“Papa? We’re getting ready to head down to the sanctuary,” Charel said. My son’s brow furrowed and he pushed a thought to me. _He needed that, Papa. It’s been too long since he’s felt a father’s love. I’m willing to share._

Charel and I were able to converse mentally, but it was a lot of work for the both of us. It was due in part to him being our first born of a _te’atée_ bonded couple. It was something special that we were able to share. Only I could speak to him and him to me.

I released Liam, wiping his face. “Let’s get you cleaned up and get you mated to Riannelle. The first kiss will seal your bond.”

“I can’t wait,” he breathed.

The ceremony itself was attended by all of the Assembly of Nobles, their families and nearby Federation dignitaries. I waited for Riannelle in the small tent at the entrance to the forest where the sanctuary was located. My daughter and Bella arrived. N’essie was standing as Riannelle’s witness. They were all dressed in shades of blue. Tears pricked my eyes when I saw how much Riannelle looked like Bella on our mating ceremony day. Bella stood by me, holding my hand as I tried to get my emotions under control. When Maralice informed us that it was time, Bella and I stood on either side of Riannelle, guiding her down the aisle to be mated with Liam.

I couldn’t tell you what happened at the ceremony. The only thing I knew for certain was when Riannelle and Liam kissed, her spots glowed the most brilliant white, enfolding both of them in warmth. They ran down the aisle, taking a few moments to lose themselves in their love before the official holos were taken.

My parents came up to us, happiness pouring off them. My mom hugged Bella, caressing her hair and murmuring quietly. Dad gave me a wry grin. “It’s hard, isn’t it?”

“I had no idea,” I laughed nervously. “But, I’m happy for them. Liam is a good man and will take care of Riannelle.”

“Just wait until you start having grandchildren,” Dad snickered. “Then it will really be a shock to your system.”

“Fuck,” I moaned quietly, my eyes widening.

 _Now would not be an appropriate time to do that,_ ti’ane, Bella giggled mentally. “Carlisle, Riannelle is on the contraceptive medication so she could focus on her studies. It’ll be a while before she will have children.”

 _Oh, thank GOD_! I mentally screamed. Bella gave me a secretive grin, wrapping her arms around my waist. I kissed her temple. “We probably should head to the palace and check to see if the reception is ready.”

Walking back to the throne room, which had been completely redecorated for the reception for Riannelle and Liam, we made sure that the meals were prepared and the final details attended to. The guests arrived, with Riannelle and Liam seated on the raised dais in the center of the room, just in front of the thrones where Bella and I were seated. Our other children were on either side, at elegantly appointed tables. Charel was taking care of Lianel while N’essie was helping Norelle. Our two youngest children were staying through the _nari_ cake dessert and Melora would help them to bed. Norelle was okay with it, but Lianel wanted to dance. He loved dancing and did his own variation of it as often as he could.

My youngest son had two left feet.

Dinner was served and we all stuffed ourselves with the delicious Cygnari cuisine, with a few Terran dishes thrown in for Liam. Riannelle was adamant on including his favorite foods. Bella and Maralice eagerly complied, knowing that I still struggled with some Cygnari dishes and I’d lived on the planet for over a quarter of a century. Their food was too spicy and my human stomach had a hard time digesting it.

After dinner, Riannelle and Liam cut the cake, sharing a human custom of feeding each other tiny morsels of the _nari_ cake. When Liam teased Riannelle, her spots glowed purple and I bit back a growl. “She’s mated, Edward. It’s inevitable,” Bella snickered.

“I know, I know,” I snarled. “It doesn’t mean I have to like it.” They finished feeding each other the cake. It was whisked away and they smoothly glided out to the center of the dance floor. Another human custom that my mate had insisted on, dancing at the reception. I was glad for that. It meant that they had to keep their distance just a few hours longer before …

 _Don’t focus on that, Edward. You’ll never want to have sex again,_ I grumbled to myself. Bella snickered next to me, moving to stand in front of me. I slid my arms around her waist, gazing at my daughter dance in the arms of her beloved.

“It appears we’ve come full circle, _ti’ane_ ,” Bella murmured as we watched our daughter dance with her new _te’atée_ mate. She was glowing ethereally, smiling happily at Liam. They were in so much love, happy and complete. “Who would have thought that Charel bringing home his roommate would end up with another _te’atée_ imprinting?”

I tightened my arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck. “It was destined, _Fíorghrá,_ ” I whispered. “Just like us, they were star crossed lovers who wouldn’t let the light years keep them apart.”

“Star crossed lovers?” Bella asked, turning in my arms. She was smiling adoringly up at me.

“Like us,” I smiled, my finger trailing down her spots. She purred and shuddered in my arms. I lifted her chin up gently, dropping a tender kiss to her waiting lips. She eagerly returned my kiss, sliding her tongue into my mouth. “I pray that Liam and Riannelle will have an ounce of the happiness that we share, my love.”

 _Seeing them together, looking at each other like we do, I know they will,_ Bella thought to me, her fingers tangling in my hair. “They may be star crossed lovers, but we were the first. You are my _ti’ane_ , forever and always.”

“We were the first star crossed _te’atée_ lovers and our love will transcend the stars, my _Fíorghrá,_ ” I smiled. We kissed again, turning back to the young couple that affirmed their love in front of our friends and family. I held my mate closely, knowing that we got our happily ever after, as will our children.

Because our fate was destined and our paths had crossed, among the stars.

_Fin_

 

 


End file.
